very sure... i.e. based on the current "givens"

maybe in your lifetime, rajah! hihihi... just kidding!

well that's my wish too, and if so ill be happy, but then again the odds are too great and the current facts and events do not suggest so........

the mere fact that we've identified the problems means that we're nearing to solve the current issues that we're facing. one thing i see from amongst us filipinos is the pessimism that we have. the laws of attraction teaches us that if we think positively, we'd attract positive karma...

now give us the solution and enumerate the problems beforehand

What Ails Philippine Socio-Economic Development? Issues and Solutions

no working land reform, an economy controlled by the few elite, a hollywood democracy, and false patriotism.

issues: many and complex

solutions: perhaps none

RE hollywood democracy as a problem in this nation: I believe we can solve this through a change in the form of government: from Presidential to Parliamentary.

Since the problem is on the form of government that we have, the solution would be to change it.

If we have a presidential form of government that is heavily affected by people's wrong perception on who should lead us based on popularity, the basic solution is to transfer the executive power from the president (that is, the president voted by the people) to the prime minister who has the best leadership characteristics but does not have the same popularity level as the president.

RE Oligarchy: tax these few elite with higher percentages than the usual so we can get the share of their riches and spread 'em to the rest of the country. however, this needs a lot of political will. a strong leader can manage to do this.

^^ let's see how others will react to this. i dont want to monopolize the discussion. gtg for the meantime.

RE Oligarchy: tax these few elite with higher percentages than the usual so we can get the share of their riches and spread 'em to the rest of the country. however, this needs a lot of political will. a strong leader can manage to do this.

With intelligent and yet super trapo Enrile (who is the culprit behind the onerous income tax schedule we have right now in the Philippines)..this country can never tax the rich of what is due to them.

RE hollywood democracy as a problem in this nation: I believe we can solve this through a change in the form of government: from Presidential to Parliamentary.

Since the problem is on the form of government that we have, the solution would be to change it.

If we have a presidential form of government that is heavily affected by people's wrong perception on who should lead us based on popularity, the basic solution is to transfer the executive power from the president (that is, the president voted by the people) to the prime minister who has the best leadership characteristics but does not have the same popularity level as the president.

Isn't the problem with the Philippines is that many latifundia families control politics? Its similar to other Latin American countries and is a heritage of the Spanish form of colonization. In that case, wouldn't it be even more dangerous to give power to a parliament that is controlled by these families? Give the presidency to a bright technocrat who is outside those families, one who has enough legitimacy to ram unpleasant policies (including tax and land ownership) and weaken the ruling families. Anyway, I don't know much about the Philippines but very interested in learning about it.

Isn't the problem with the Philippines is that many latifundia families control politics? Its similar to other Latin American countries and is a heritage of the Spanish form of colonization. In that case, wouldn't it be even more dangerous to give power to a parliament that is controlled by these families? Give the presidency to a bright technocrat who is outside those families, one who has enough legitimacy to ram unpleasant policies (including tax and land ownership) and weaken the ruling families. Anyway, I don't know much about the Philippines but very interested in learning about it.

You will note that some of the most economically and politcally stable countries in southeast asia are those that have somehow retained their monarchies and their nobility, or has been under the guardianship of a single dominant political party. Malaysia still has their datus, Brunei has its sultan (who happens to own everything in his sultanate), Thailand still has its king, Singapore has the People's Action Party which has ruled that nation since independence, likewise Taiwan which has been under the Kuomintang Chinese Nationalist Party ever since 1949, etc. There is an active political "oligarchy" in these countries too.

Why is the Philippine political and/or economic oligarchy so dysfunctional? I'm not so sure but these are some of the features that I see......

1) They fight among themselves, sometimes even within families. This is very wasteful of energy and resources, extremely wasteful.

Now this seems "democratically" beneficial, but in actuality all it does is to destroy the confidence of the Filipino people in the elite of land to provide leadership and guidance.

2) The Philippine oligarchy is cowardly. They are not like the oligarch-nobility in other countries where they have some history of leading the common soldiery at the front in battle, into the mouth of hell and back. There was young Joe Kennedy Jr. who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and died on a secret mission, there was also his brother and future president John who served in the U.S. Navy and fought on a P.T. boat in the pacific. Today there's Prince Harry of England who at least served his time in Afghanistan. How many prominent Filipino families ever risk their sons and daughters to join the AFP, let alone to fight against NPA insurgents or islamic separatists?

Oh yes there are many who are "honorary" colonels in the AFP, but that's different of course.

3) The Philippine oligarchy is too effeminate, too soft, too addicted to easy and luxurious living.

4) The Philippine oligarchy also is neither very gifted nor industrious.

The Philippines has nothing like Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, or someting like the German Krupp industrial family, we have no elite which has literally built the nation. They are usually just landowners, merchants, food and beverage people, or simply hoods.


I believe there is an oligarchy or an "elite" in every society and in all nations. There's just no local elite that Filipinos can be proud of. Yes we'd all like to believe that all men are created equal, but there's that saying that some are more equal than others. Yet apparently, social darwinism does not apply in the Philippines because it seems that the situation here favors the survival of the unfittest.

_________________________________________________________________________________

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-7/1343250/Balangay21.jpg

As far as I understood it, the problem with latifundias in Latin America is that they represent a small and disconnected part of the society. They're usually racially different and have a weak link toward the idea of the nation. Since they have huge control of the economy, which then translates to huge political control. Usually, the politics of Latin America then swings between the conservative latifundia families or truly populist politics. I wonder if the Philippines also has this problem of swinging between choosing a latifundia or a populist?

I don't think that the retainment of nobility somehow automatically results in economic development. Countries like Singapore, Taiwan or South Korea developed much better without a monarchy or nobility. More important is the existence of a developmentalist state with capable technocrats and the creation of institutions that could enforce the rule of law, that's what I think, at least.

@NF

just visited the site, philippinephalange, are you the one behind that site? good site!

‘Development is too vital to leave to government alone’

Written by Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 01:49
Business Mirror

NATION-BUILDING, or at least that part of it that is taken up by citizens and not by the government, is not for amateurs or do-gooders. Development work is something that cannot be left to chance.

This year’s Ramon Magsaysay awardee Deep Joshi, advisor to the Professional Assistance for Development Action (Pradan), elaborates: “Development is too important to be left to the government alone. We’re in a world where everybody needs to think of themselves not as a marginalized group but as part of the mainstream, part of the whole.”

That philosophy he has followed in the 25 years he had spent so far in development work. Pradan is an organization that promotes livelihood programs in poor villages in India. Its web site says the organization now works with over 180,000 families in 3,429 villages in eight of the poorest states in India.

Joshi’s efforts were geared toward professionalizing development work and this has led to thousands of young professionals in India becoming development workers and further resulted in his selection as one of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay awardees—“for his vision in professionalizing non-governmental organization [NGO] work in India by effectively combining professional training and instilling a deep sense of commitment among the youth in his country.”

Joshi said that by encouraging young professionals to join the development movement, more ground can
be covered to decrease poverty, malnutrition, maternal mortality, unemployment and other social ills.

“As education and educated people focus on abstractions and ‘things’ like technology, capital, goods and services, they keep getting more and more alienated from poor people,” Joshi said in his recent lecture at the Ramon Magsaysay Center.

“I believe Pradan has demonstrated one way of changing things around. In a small way, it has rediscovered professionalism as it was meant to be—a synthesis of head and heart, of feeling and purpose. It has demonstrated possibilities. I hope others will listen and join,” he added.

Joshi said despite Pradan’s and the national government’s efforts, around 400 million to 450 million people in India still live below the poverty line. Pradan aims to help up to 1.5 million of them in the next 10 years.

School for development

TO achieve this goal, Pradan intends to put up a school for development. At the moment, the internship program of Pradan does not offer professionals with a degree in development work and the school is the way they intend to remedy that.

He added that by establishing a school, development work can no longer be regarded as an accidental profession or something that people looking for something worthwhile to do in their lives happen to stumble upon.

“We need to relate to them, get into their skin. We need to professionalize NGOs building people to build people. We work in villages to help the poor people find their own feet,” said Joshi.

He also hopes the school would lead to better professional development for workers in terms of remuneration and social standing so that development work, which needs an “army” of active hands, would attract a huge cadre, the building of which he has found to be a great challenge in today’s situation where lower than market salaries and difficult working conditions are very apparent deterrent factors to worker recruitment.

Pradan’s one-year apprenticeship program for students with masteral level of education today accepts 150 apprentices every year. They are given stipends, mentored and placed in one of Pradan’s projects with other professionals. Joshi said interns are also required to immerse themselves for 15 days in a rural village where there are no sanitation facilities and no tap water available.

After the first three months, the recruits are sent home for a week, to share their experiences and evaluate their prospects and expectations toward continuing with Pradan. Joshi said they do not pressure these interns to make a decision one way or the other.

Demystifying development work

Joshi took up engineering at Motilal Nehru Engineering College in Allahabad, India. Soon after, he got a national scholarship abroad and pursued a doctorate in engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

When he returned home, he became employed in an organization that worked with development organizations. This is where he met other Magsaysay awardees, Mabel and Raj Arole. The Aroles were doctors who set up a small referral hospital that focused on preventive and community health.

[B]Taking his cue from the work of the Aroles, Joshi concluded that the success of an organization engaged in development work is not only based on its empathy with communities they serve but on education as well, in order to effectively share expertise that would further the cause. He formed the philosophy “head and heart” in development work.

“Knowledge is needed but it does not go far in dealing with human contexts, especially the contexts of the excluded and marginalized, without bonding, without empathy. The question for me no longer was what professionals could do to change villages, but how to get more of them to villages and create mechanisms where they would be effective,” he said.:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q0JKzpjh_o&feature=response_watch

With intelligent and yet super trapo Enrile (who is the culprit behind the onerous income tax schedule we have right now in the Philippines)..this country can never tax the rich of what is due to them.

Tax laws come from the congress. Besides, our congressmen can change our tax laws whenever they want to (of course, subject to the veto power of the president).

Isn't the problem with the Philippines is that many latifundia families control politics? Its similar to other Latin American countries and is a heritage of the Spanish form of colonization. In that case, wouldn't it be even more dangerous to give power to a parliament that is controlled by these families? Give the presidency to a bright technocrat who is outside those families, one who has enough legitimacy to ram unpleasant policies (including tax and land ownership) and weaken the ruling families. Anyway, I don't know much about the Philippines but very interested in learning about it.

AFAIK, these families control the presidents. The fact that Filipinos vote for someone who has the most charm or who has the most money instead of someone who has the best leadership qualities makes it more possible for these families to control the minds of these voted presidents. if we could shift the privilege of choosing the country's chief executive to some people who might have the brains to discern w/c is the best leader, that "best" leader could lessen the probability of succumbing to the controls of these families. but then, this is still dependent on each case.

RE Hollywood Democracy:

One effect of Hollywood democracy, among others, is the lower quality of leadership in this nation. I don't think we could erase hollywood democracy in the meantime. It's the natural attitude of Filipinos to vote for someone who has the most charm/personality. But I think we can do something to improve their leadership through these means:

1) Train these politicians for a period of say, 6 months before their term begins.
2) Educate them through simulated games that would help them understand how to man an LGU. One simulated game I could think of is Sim City. However, this game is patterned after the realities in the US. Maybe we should make a simulated game w/c is patterned after the realities in our country.

AFAIK, these families control the presidents. The fact that Filipinos vote for someone who has the most charm or who has the most money instead of someone who has the best leadership qualities makes it more possible for these families to control the minds of these voted presidents. if we could shift the privilege of choosing the country's chief executive to some people who might have the brains to discern w/c is the best leader, that "best" leader could lessen the probability of succumbing to the controls of these families. but then, this is still dependent on each case.


Filipino voters like to be able to choose who will be their president. It will be difficult to convince the Filipino people to entrust this "priviledge" upon something like an electoral college.

A French style presidential-parliamentary hybrid can be a possible solution. Voters will choose who will be the president via open public elections, and then this president-elect will be given something like a 25 to 30% weighted vote within an electoral college of representatives which will then choose the prime-minister.

In this case, the president has more of a figurehead function, but an important one nevertheless. The actual day to day running of the country is the task of the prime minister...an executive office which can now more easily be open to the brainac technocrat geniuses of the land.


RE Hollywood Democracy:

One effect of Hollywood democracy, among others, is the lower quality of leadership in this nation. I don't think we could erase hollywood democracy in the meantime. It's the natural attitude of Filipinos to vote for someone who has the most charm/personality. But I think we can do something to improve their leadership through these means:

1) Train these politicians for a period of say, 6 months before their term begins.
2) Educate them through simulated games that would help them understand how to man an LGU. One simulated game I could think of is Sim City. However, this game is patterned after the realities in the US. Maybe we should make a simulated game w/c is patterned after the realities in our country.


I think the French also have something like this, a state run "post-graduate school" from which all public officials are madatorily required to attend and pass before qualifying for higher government office, be it an elected or appointed position. It's also a mandatory school for all top executives of French industry and businesses.

It's called "ENA", Ecole Nationale d'Administration or the National School of Administration...........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_nationale_d'administration

http://www.ena.fr/en/accueil.php

@NF

just visited the site, philippinephalange, are you the one behind that site? good site!

Thank you Pagualon. I and a few others schlepped it together. We are going to have a proper website soon. I'll notify you via PM when it's ready.....AVE PINAS!

I think the French also have something like this, a state run "post-graduate school" from which all public officials are madatorily required to attend and pass before qualifying for higher government office, be it an elected or appointed position. It's also a mandatory school for all top executives of French industry and businesses.

It's called "ENA", Ecole Nationale d'Administration or the National School of Administration...........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_nationale_d'administration

http://www.ena.fr/en/accueil.php

how was it? was it good? effective? :)

Filipino voters like to be able to choose who will be their president. It will be difficult to convince the Filipino people to entrust this "priviledge" upon something like an electoral college.

A French style presidential-parliamentary hybrid can be a possible solution. Voters will choose who will be the president via open public elections, and then this president-elect will be given something like a 25 to 30% weighted vote within an electoral college of representatives which will then choose the prime-minister.

In this case, the president has more of a figurehead function, but an important one nevertheless. The actual day to day running of the country is the task of the prime minister...an executive office which can now more easily be open to the brainac technocrat geniuses of the land.



this is what I'm trying to suggest. a presidential-parliamentary form of government. I wonder what opinions do jpdm and rajah have...

this is what I'm trying to suggest. a presidential-parliamentary form of government. I wonder what opinions do jpdm and rajah have...

Ok.

I still go for presidential type with a bicameral congress.

But I just what a bicameral congress with limited number of members say 13 senators and 1 congressman only for each province.

Presidential parliamentary was tried during Marcos using a French type government.

Marcos is still powerful as the president and Cezar Virata as Prime Minister but plays a minor role.

I still go for presidential type with a bicameral congress.

But I just what a bicameral congress with limited number of members say 13 senators and 1 congressman only for each province.

Presidential parliamentary was tried during Marcos using a French type government.

Marcos is still powerful as the president and Cezar Virata as Prime Minister but plays a minor role.

Well, everything Marcos implements is de facto in nature (despite his being a up-trained lawyer and bar topnotcher). As said by Rayadillo, a "true" presidential-parliamentary form of gov't has its president as a mere figurehead. Thus, the one set up by Marcos is more of a "de facto" presidential-parliamentary form of gov't.

We can still implement the same thing but we really need GOOD leadership.

Well, everything Marcos implements is de facto in nature (despite his being a up-trained lawyer and bar topnotcher). As said by Rayadillo, a "true" presidential-parliamentary form of gov't has its president as a mere figurehead. Thus, the one set up by Marcos is more of a "de facto" presidential-parliamentary form of gov't.

We can still implement the same thing but we really need GOOD leadership.

There is nothing wrong with a presidential-parliamentary form of government. Its the central planned economy that brought The Philippine economy down during Marcos' time.

Wanch, I think you misquoted me...

There is nothing wrong with a presidential-parliamentary form of government. Its the central planned economy that brought The Philippine economy down during Marcos' time.


Definitely nothing wrong indeed if the leaders of this type of government are righteous and not corrupt.

Centrally-planned economy is communism or socialism. We still have a mixed system during marcos but will active government intervention.

Corruption brought us down during Marcos time.

1qhu9xz18P0

A brief profile of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera
10VqnStPio4

Among the first to recognize the rise of "globalization"
and its ill effects on nations was Sir Oswald Mosley.
FM88BCaGius
By the way, you will note the similarity between
Mosley's British Union Party logo with that of the
Singapore People's Action Party of Lee Kuan Yu...
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-7/1343250/PAPrally.jpg

And finally, this is the song we should rally to!....
v4ipKFkPSis
______________________________________________________________________________

Seventy Years ago in September

Sept 1, 1939 - Nazis invade Poland.

Sept 3, 1939 - Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany.

Sept 4, 1939 - British Royal Air Force attacks the German Navy.

Sept 5, 1939 - United States proclaims neutrality; German troops cross the Vistula River in Poland.

Sept 10, 1939 - Canada declares war on Germany; Battle of the Atlantic begins.

Sept 17, 1939 - Soviets invade Poland.

Sept 27, 1939 - Warsaw surrenders to Nazis; Reinhard Heydrich becomes the leader of new Reich Main Security Office (RSHA).[/I]

Oh, nothing much. Media just proclaimed the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II last September 1. 70 years on, people still have much to learn about the ideologies which unleashed Hell on Earth. :ohno:

I cannot believe I'd be seeing Benito Mussolini & Adolf Hitler even reminisced anywhere. I do not believe Andres Bonifacio would be too happy being associated with Il Duce & der Fuhrer (01:46 first vid), even the Nazi Propaganda Minister (the master liar) Joseph Goebbels (02:20)? unbelievable! :ohno:

I do not know who Jose Rivera is but judging from the symbol of the Fasces - a bundle of rods with a protruding axe - he could well be from the Phalangist Forces. I also do not know anything about Mr. Mosley and his ideas.

What I do know is that the People's Action Party had its roots in close alliance with the Communist Party. They only parted ways shortly before independence. Mr Lee Kuan Yew is normally spelled here as Lee Kuan Yew and not Yu.

^^

Naiimagine ko pa kung gaano ka makapangyarihan ang Ingglatera nuon.

I cannot believe I'd be seeing Benito Mussolini & Adolf Hitler even reminisced anywhere.

I don't know about Hitler, but then Hitler's National Socialism was by no means the only type of German/Austrian Third Positionism, there were those rival non-racist movements lead by Otto Strasser and Engelbert Dolfuss both of whom were murdered by Hitler's henchmen.

But in the case of Mussolini, his reputation has been steadily gaining renewed popularity in Italy itself. In fact the fascists are actually back in power, although they now play the parliamentary game much like the modern european socialist and communist parties.

YGOA1la2qUs

l4XhgEBuCMg

Italian Fascism is ideologically very different from German National Socialism, Fascism was not racist but "statist" in nature. Mussolini wasn't even so very impressed with any notion that the italian people were of a superior kind of race. He was impresssed with the state traditions and legacy of ancient Rome, so to the Fascists, the creation of a strong "ethical" state which will eliminate class warfare and strengthen the Italian nation was the objective.

Fascists did not believe in a future of universal peace and prosperity because they saw the real world as a constant and never ending struggle between nations for power, influence and resources, therefore the need for a strong "state" which can adequately protect the nation's interests.

The nazis on the other hand were more like "racial communists", in other words they saw everything in terms not only of a class war but a racial war as well. The nazis saw the "state' only as a means to an end. The "end" being the salvation of the racially pure aryan man. technically speaking, Hitler believed that race is an all important factor in the development of the "new man", so they were more like communists with a racial supremacist bent. Jews were particularly targeted as the enemy of the aryan race because it was felt that Jews controlled the financial institutions and the international capital of the world's economies.

Nazis believe in establishing a "lebensraum", similar to a utopian "worker's paradise"...a classless society made up of racially pure aryans happily engaged in healthy "mind and body building" agricultural pursuits as the future way of attaining universal peace and prosperity.


I do not believe Andres Bonifacio would be too happy being associated with Il Duce & der Fuhrer (01:46 first vid), even the Nazi Propaganda Minister (the master liar) Joseph Goebbels (02:20)? unbelievable! :ohno:

The offical title of Joseph Goebbels was "Minister of Propaganda", not Minister of Information or Minster of Truth, he wasn't even hiding the fact that what he said was propaganda. Much of it naman was what the German people wanted to hear anyway....that they were a superior race, etc. Hatred against Jews did not begin with the nazis, they merely capitalized on it. Anti-semitism was rampant througout europe as far back as the middle ages.

It can't be said either that the world's democracies were free of racism, or above subjugating the "inferior races". Even the U.S. was a strictly segregated society during the time of Hitler. We must be able to judge these things from within the context of the common perceptions and attitudes of the time.

As for Andres Bonifacio? Take note, the guy was "supremo" over a revolutionary nationalist secret society with a strict code of heirarchy and rules. The Katipunan was patterned after a triangular masonic order, not a liberal parliamentary democracy. It may have even been "racialist", as in not merely being anti-spanish or anti-clerical, but anti-white.

The Katipunan rituals empahsized the cult of blood brotherhood married with the homeland soil, "blood and soil". He might have even thought of establishing a native monarchy, as in a "Kaharian ng Katagalugan". It was through an elections that finally did him in.

You will note that the Philippine independence movement only assumed "republican" and neo-liberal attributes when Aguinaldo's Magdalo faction assumed domiance over the movement. Yes Mabini was in Aguinaldo's cabinet and he was a "constitutionalist" at heart, yet that didn't stop Mabini from going along with Aguinaldo's own declaration of "dictatorship" in response to the exigencies of war with the Americans.

There is that question as to where the true "spirit and purpose" of the Philippine revolution had gone?.....did it go with Aguinaldo and Mabini who both ended up pledging an oath of allegience to the United States of America?....or did it go with people who never surrendered and chose to live in exile like General Artemio Ricarte?

Ricarte was exiled in Japan and even became an honorary "shogun". He only went back to the Philippines during the Japanese occupation, together with Benigno Ramos and his sakdalistas chanting the "Asia for the Asians" slogan.


I do not know who Jose Rivera is but judging from the symbol of the Fasces - a bundle of rods with a protruding axe - he could well be from the Phalangist Forces. I also do not know anything about Mr. Mosley and his ideas.

It's hard to find available in-depth readings about Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera because most of it is in Spanish. There is a website about Mosley...

http://www.oswaldmosley.com/

What I do know is that the People's Action Party had its roots in close alliance with the Communist Party. They only parted ways shortly before independence. Mr Lee Kuan Yew is normally spelled here as Lee Kuan Yew and not Yu.

This alliance was a marriage of convenience against a common enemy, since Lee's group needed the pro-communists' mass support base while the communists needed a non-communist party leadership as a smoke screen because the Malayan Communist Party was illegal. Their common aims were to agitate for self-government and put an end to British colonial rule. However, everbody knew it was a temporary truce and Singapore would eventually have to be under one or the other.

It's like the chinese communists and the chinese nationalists during WW2, both Mao and Chiang Kai Shiek needed to have some level of cooperation against the Japanese invaders.

Start by looking at 5:39.......
GVDE0KPMaeY

Malaysia was way behind the Philippines way back in the 70s and early 80s. I guess we can learn from them as a nation.

Let us emulate their transparent government, their infrasctructure patterned after the American state highways.

Also Vietnam, after emerging as a war torn country, they are slowly regaining their composure and emerging as a new Asian Tiger economy. In ten years, we will be behind this new emerging tiger nation.

This alliance was a marriage of convenience against a common enemy, since Lee's group needed the pro-communists' mass support base while the communists needed a non-communist party leadership as a smoke screen because the Malayan Communist Party was illegal. Their common aims were to agitate for self-government and put an end to British colonial rule. However, everbody knew it was a temporary truce and Singapore would eventually have to be under one or the other.

It's like the chinese communists and the chinese nationalists during WW2, both Mao and Chiang Kai Shiek needed to have some level of cooperation against the Japanese invaders.

Start by looking at 5:39.......
GVDE0KPMaeY I don’t think I need to see the vid one more time since I already had seen it plus many others of the same nature here in Singapura. My sentence went like this – at one point in history the PAP and the Communists did forge an alliance but they parted ways.

The reason could probably be best summed up as irreconcilable differences. That is that. :cheers:

I don't know about Hitler, but then Hitler's National Socialism was by no means the only type of German/Austrian Third Positionism, there were those rival non-racist movements lead by Otto Strasser and Engelbert Dolfuss both of whom were murdered by Hitler's henchmen.

But in the case of Mussolini, his reputation has been steadily gaining renewed popularity in Italy itself. In fact the fascists are actually back in power, although they now play the parliamentary game much like the modern european socialist and communist parties.

YGOA1la2qUs

l4XhgEBuCMg

Italian Fascism is ideologically very different from German National Socialism, Fascism was not racist but "statist" in nature. Mussolini wasn't even so very impressed with any notion that the italian people were of a superior kind of race. He was impresssed with the state traditions and legacy of ancient Rome, so to the Fascists, the creation of a strong "ethical" state which will eliminate class warfare and strengthen the Italian nation was the objective.

Fascists did not believe in a future of universal peace and prosperity because they saw the real world as a constant and never ending struggle between nations for power, influence and resources, therefore the need for a strong "state" which can adequately protect the nation's interests.

The nazis on the other hand were more like "racial communists", in other words they saw everything in terms not only of a class war but a racial war as well. The nazis saw the "state' only as a means to an end. The "end" being the salvation of the racially pure aryan man. technically speaking, Hitler believed that race is an all important factor in the development of the "new man", so they were more like communists with a racial supremacist bent. Jews were particularly targeted as the enemy of the aryan race because it was felt that Jews controlled the financial institutions and the international capital of the world's economies.

Nazis believe in establishing a "lebensraum", similar to a utopian "worker's paradise"...a classless society made up of racially pure aryans happily engaged in healthy "mind and body building" agricultural pursuits as the future way of attaining universal peace and prosperity. Whatever it is and however one tries to play as an apologist for both the Nazis and the Fascists, there remains one indelible fact. Both ideologies conspired (along with their Third Axis Asiatic Partner – you may well want to indulge in the ideology of Imperial Japan as well at some point in this thread) to bring what can tidily be summed up as HELL on Earth. It’s not mere guilt by association but guilt by proactive participation. Now with an atrocious track record like that, it is appalling that any one in his right senses can even be so nostalgic about these xenophobic lunatics. :ohno:

One can play semantics with words, with ideas, with sophistry. As an extreme example, one can even weave clever sophistry and portray Lucifer as a true Angel of Light who was unjustly banished from the Heavens. I am seeing the same parallels some are weaving around here with Fascism – the umbrella ideology covering Nazism, Italian Fascism, Spanish Falangism and Japanese Imperialism. I couldn’t care less with the ideas these clowns present for I only see the mayhem, the death and the destruction these groups wreaked havoc upon the planet and humankind. So as you can see, the parallels I am drawing up with Lucifer is not really that far off. :lol:

Let’s begin from bottom up. Nazis for lebensraum and Aryan peace and prosperity? Yes, and the price the world has to pay for that is the annihilation of all “non-Aryan” peoples. That would include you and your family, unless you are 100% Teutonic and German. But of course, only those with more than 75% European blood are prone to this White Power malaise. I suppose as a Filipino you are. :ohno:

Mussolini’s Fascism believed in a Mare Nostrum for the Mediterranean or the revival of the Roman Empire. True, and again at what price? To wage war, death and destruction upon its neighbours just for the pure coincidence of being within the former sphere of ancient Rome -That is silly and ridiculous. That there are still xenophobic groups glorifying these things is really mind boggling. :lol: Hypothetically, if Italy had won (no matter how “weak” and “inefficient” the Italians were compared with the Germans and Japs), what would be the next step? But of course, common sense dictates that a racial hierarchy would ensue upon the conquered peoples of the Mediterranean and Africa. A return to slavery, as it was in ancient Rome. Common sense would tell you there is still a real sense of Racism going on there. Superiority of those with Roman ancestry against all the other inferior peoples; what next, a return to the Gladiators and the Arenas and the feeding of all inferior peoples to the lions? Bollocks. :ohno:

You “don’t know about Hitler” and the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei? Strange for someone so well read, everyone else in the sane world knows about Hitler and the Nazis plus their antics except you. Apologists may well now claim there were tame variants of Nazism that never took off; howbeit in the final analysis, all these right wing variants always fed on the same old things - hatred, xenophobia, anti-semitism... :dizzy:

The offical title of Joseph Goebbels was "Minister of Propaganda", not Minister of Information or Minster of Truth, he wasn't even hiding the fact that what he said was propaganda. Much of it naman was what the German people wanted to hear anyway....that they were a superior race, etc. Hatred against Jews did not begin with the nazis, they merely capitalized on it. Anti-semitism was rampant througout europe as far back as the middle ages.

It can't be said either that the world's democracies were free of racism, or above subjugating the "inferior races". Even the U.S. was a strictly segregated society during the time of Hitler. We must be able to judge these things from within the context of the common perceptions and attitudes of the time. So you are romanticizing this notion that anti-Semitism and racism were both alright as long as both were the zeitgeist or the spirit of those times? Bollocks, bloody bloody bollocks and that will never do. Joseph Goebbels was a scheming, conniving prevaricator and a master liar, (master race my acned foot). And yes, he did hide many, many facts from the German people - The concentration camps, their ignominious reversals on the Soviet front, their defeats in North Africa, to name a few. So in a sordid sort of way, you (as a Nazi / Fascist apologist) are saying that anti-Semitism and Racism are both alright as long as these were “within the spirit of the times” or the context of the period? Whatever happened to being civilized, having common decency and morals? Thrown out the window? :ohno:

That these clowns are being glorified in Youtube videos and neo-nazi movements in Europe makes me want to throw up. :puke:

How can comparisons be made between the Nazis and the Fascists and the United States plus other examples? Why, the racial activities of the United States and the other democracies like France & Britain taken & combined together would all pale in comparison to the unbelievable scale and magnitude of hatred and destruction foisted upon the world and humanity by Fascism, don’t you think so? (of course, with the possible exception of Stalin’s Soviet Union); I didn’t see the Allies constructing crematoria and furnaces for one. :sly:

As for Andres Bonifacio? Take note, the guy was "supremo" over a revolutionary nationalist secret society with a strict code of heirarchy and rules. The Katipunan was patterned after a triangular masonic order, not a liberal parliamentary democracy. It may have even been "racialist", as in not merely being anti-spanish or anti-clerical, but anti-white.

The Katipunan rituals empahsized the cult of blood brotherhood married with the homeland soil, "blood and soil". He might have even thought of establishing a native monarchy, as in a "Kaharian ng Katagalugan". It was through an elections that finally did him in.

You will note that the Philippine independence movement only assumed "republican" and neo-liberal attributes when Aguinaldo's Magdalo faction assumed domiance over the movement. Yes Mabini was in Aguinaldo's cabinet and he was a "constitutionalist" at heart, yet that didn't stop Mabini from going along with Aguinaldo's own declaration of "dictatorship" in response to the exigencies of war with the Americans.

There is that question as to where the true "spirit and purpose" of the Philippine revolution had gone?.....did it go with Aguinaldo and Mabini who both ended up pledging an oath of allegience to the United States of America?....or did it go with people who never surrendered and chose to live in exile like General Artemio Ricarte?

Ricarte was exiled in Japan and even became an honorary "shogun". He only went back to the Philippines during the Japanese occupation, together with Benigno Ramos and his sakdalistas chanting the "Asia for the Asians" slogan.




It's hard to find available in-depth readings about Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera because most of it is in Spanish. There is a website about Mosley...

http://www.oswaldmosley.com/ If both Rivera and Mosley are from the same fascist league, I wouldn’t bother reading about them. I am no great fan of Generalissimo Francisco Franco either. :sleepy:

That is mere conjecture to say that Bonifacio was anti-white, since he was himself a mestizo. He may have thought of the Tagalog Republic but I seriously seriously doubt he wanted a Tagalog monarchy.

If you’re saying Ricarte and his ilk (I do not know of Ricarte as well) were the better guys since they never bowed to the United States, heck they probably never did, now did they? :lol: But they still undeniably BOWED to another foreign power, the 3rd colonizer, the Japanese. By returning home triumphant with Benigno Ramos under the aegis of the Japanese samurai sword and the Emperor of Japan, well the Filipino people at that zeitgeist in time would view these guys as C-O-L-L-A-B-O-R-A-T-O-R-S with the Third Axis Power. Now who is the better person, Aguinaldo or Ricarte? Ricarte became a Japanese puppet IMHO just like the last Manchu emperor Pu Yi was turned into a Japanese puppet in Manchukuo / Manchuria. Are you saying the ideals of the 1898 Revolution transformed to become a Japanese anime cartoon / manga? (But of course, under the clever disguise of Asia for the Asians, yea riggghhht). :lol:

Can anyone even measure the scale of destruction unleashed by the Japanese against the Philippines in a very, very, very short span of 5 years??? Just look at the wartime thread for all the ample proof in the world. Manila reduced to a pile of rubble. :ohno:

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/125px-Flag_of_Israel_svg.png
So that we are not OT on this thread, here is an example of a technically “Asian country” located in Southwest Asia – Israel and what the Philippines can learn from it. The Philippines can learn:

1. the benefits of desalinization - water conversion from salt water to potable water,
2. hydroponics – advanced agricultural methods,
3. nuclear technology,
4. world class education,
5. alternative energy sources (Solar).
6. Plus the Philippines can also learn the art of war – Israeli style. Unbeknownst to many, Singapore does have close military ties and draws many of its sophisticated military technology from the Israelis. With technology like that, the Philippines can plant its feet on the Spratleys and elsewhere and no one can really do anything about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/150px-Israel-flag01c.jpg


Israel has the highest school life expectancy in Southwest Asia, and is tied with Japan for second-highest school life expectancy on the Asian continent (after South Korea).[198] Israel similarly has the highest literacy rate in Southwest Asia, according to the United Nations.[199] The State Education Law, passed in 1953, established five types of schools: state secular, state religious, ultra orthodox, communal settlement schools, and Arab schools. The public secular is the largest school group, and is attended by the majority of Jewish and non-Arab pupils in Israel. Most Arabs send their children to schools where Arabic is the language of instruction.[200]

Education is compulsory in Israel for children between the ages of three and eighteen.[201][202] Schooling is divided into three tiers – primary school (grades 1–6), middle school (grades 7–9), and high school (grades 10–12) – culminating with Bagrut matriculation exams. Proficiency in core subjects such as mathematics, Bible, Hebrew language, Hebrew and general literature, English, history, and civics is necessary to receive a Bagrut certificate.[203] In Arab, Christian and Druze schools, the exam on Biblical studies is replaced by an exam in Islam, Christianity or Druze heritage.[204] In 2003, over half of all Israeli twelfth graders earned a matriculation certificate.[205]

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/180px-Solar_dish_at_Ben-Gurion_Nati.jpg

The world's largest solar parabolic dish at the Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center.[206]

Israel's eight public universities are subsidized by the state.[203][207] The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel's oldest university, houses the Jewish National and University Library, the world's largest repository of books on Jewish subjects.[208] In 2006, the Hebrew University was ranked 60th[209] and 119th[210] in two surveys of the world's top universities. Other major universities in the country include the Technion, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Israel's seven research universities (excluding the Open University) have been ranked in the top 500 in the world.

[211] Israel ranks third in the world in the number of citizens who hold university degrees (20 percent of the population).[212][213] During the 1990s, an influx of a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union (forty percent of whom were university graduates) helped boost Israel's high-tech sector.[212] Israel has produced four Nobel Prize-winning scientists[214] and publishes among the most scientific papers per capita of any country in the world.[215][216] In 2003, Ilan Ramon became Israel's first astronaut, serving as payload specialist of STS-107, the fatal mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

Israel has embraced solar energy, its engineers are on the cutting edge of solar energy technology[217] and its solar companies work on projects around the world.[218][219] Over 90% of Israeli homes use solar energy for hot water, the highest per capita in the world.[220] [221] According to government figures, the country saves 8% of its electricity consumption per year because of its solar energy use in heating.[222] The high annual incident solar irradiance at its geographic latitude creates ideal conditions for what is an internationally renowned solar research and development industry in the Negev Desert.[217][218][219]
:cheers:

^^

I am pro on the advance agriculture and military tactics............

interesting stuff from Israel.

A Korean Student’s essay on the Philippines:

My Short Essay about the Philippines
Jaeyoun Kim
September 2003

Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines. Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines.

Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest
countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed completely after the Korean War, and we had no
natural resources.

Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia. We envy Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father’s brother also died because of famine.

Korean government was awfully corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because
Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism. Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism.

40 years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investment because the economy situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to go through a horrible experience. In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park. They asked to him, “President, when can we be well off?” That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea, and the President of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea. So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea.

He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart. Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA came back to Korea to help
developing country because they wanted their country to be well off.

Though they received very small salary, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live in well off country.

My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that we have to love our neighborhood. And I have loved my neighborhood.

Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people.
I have been to the New Bilibid prison. What made me sad in the prison were the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They go
to mass and work for Church. They pray everyday. However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners at the maximum security
compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines.

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were distributed their profit to their employees fairly so that employees could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their
children.

When I was in Korea, I had a very strong faith and wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my
faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I see them
everyday. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to
pray, but nothing has been changed. My parents came to the Philippines last week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much
poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there so many beggars and street kids. When we went to
Pasangjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun. However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they
would not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boat men, for the boat men were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But my parents did not enjoy it because of love for them.

My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just go to mass without changing ourselves, we
are not Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action. She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are
same and have received a great love from God.

I want Filipinos love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off. I am sure that love
is the keyword which Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from person. Love must start
in everybody in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love. Let’s put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes. I discover that every person is worthy to be loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and relationships. It changes the world.

Please love your neighborhood and country. Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God
who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love. If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines. Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country.

You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others. That’s all I really want to ask you Filipinos.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

I agree about how the Philippines needs to turn towards Industrialization. That's going to be the real fuel of our economy. Look at how South Korea did it. It didn't take long for Lotte (haha), Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Daewoo etc. to get where they are today. After the Korean war, South Korea went through a huge period of hardship. They had the worst economies and they USED to look up to us. Then things switched around. They sent their people overseas (unlike us, they actually came back to South Korea) to become educated, and they came back to build South Korea into a great nation. They've now grown to becoming the world's 13th largest economy, and they lead (especially information technology) in a number of industrial sectors. All of their brands weren't so great back then, but look at what they all have become. I remember when Hyundai cars were awful and nobody wanted to drive them. Now, they're starting to rival German made and Japanese made cars in quality, reliability and luxury. I think we can and should do the same. Unlike South Korea, we're not starting with nothing. So I think we can actually make this happen once we stamp out the evil corruption that plagues the nation.

I don’t think I need to see the vid one more time since I already had seen it plus many others of the same nature here in Singapura. My sentence went like this – at one point in history the PAP and the Communists did forge an alliance but they parted ways.

The reason could probably be best summed up as irreconcilable differences. That is that. :cheers:

Yeah sure, but then what was your point? So they collaborated and so what?

If you know your WW2 history, both Hilter and Stalin collaborated together to form "The Nazi-Soviet Pact". Yes unthinkable, yet it happened.

Both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia cooperated with each other when they invaded Poland in September 1939. Hitler took the western half of Polish territory while the Soviets took the eastern half.

Hostilities between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union didn't begin until June 1941, almost two years after the outbreak of the war. All the while when Poland, Norway, Denmark, the low countries, France, the balkans, Greece and North Africa were being invaded and when German bombs were dropping over British cities, the Soviets continued to supply Nazi Germany with oil and other vital strategic materials to sustain the nazi war machine.

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/125px-Flag_of_Israel_svg.png
So that we are not OT on this thread, here is an example of a technically “Asian country” located in Southwest Asia – Israel and what the Philippines can learn from it. The Philippines can learn:

1. the benefits of desalinization - water conversion from salt water to potable water,
2. hydroponics – advanced agricultural methods,
3. nuclear technology,
4. world class education,
5. alternative energy sources (Solar).
6. Plus the Philippines can also learn the art of war – Israeli style. Unbeknownst to many, Singapore does have close military ties and draws many of its sophisticated military technology from the Israelis. With technology like that, the Philippines can plant its feet on the Spratleys and elsewhere and no one can really do anything about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/150px-Israel-flag01c.jpg


Israel has the highest school life expectancy in Southwest Asia, and is tied with Japan for second-highest school life expectancy on the Asian continent (after South Korea).[198] Israel similarly has the highest literacy rate in Southwest Asia, according to the United Nations.[199] The State Education Law, passed in 1953, established five types of schools: state secular, state religious, ultra orthodox, communal settlement schools, and Arab schools. The public secular is the largest school group, and is attended by the majority of Jewish and non-Arab pupils in Israel. Most Arabs send their children to schools where Arabic is the language of instruction.[200]

Education is compulsory in Israel for children between the ages of three and eighteen.[201][202] Schooling is divided into three tiers – primary school (grades 1–6), middle school (grades 7–9), and high school (grades 10–12) – culminating with Bagrut matriculation exams. Proficiency in core subjects such as mathematics, Bible, Hebrew language, Hebrew and general literature, English, history, and civics is necessary to receive a Bagrut certificate.[203] In Arab, Christian and Druze schools, the exam on Biblical studies is replaced by an exam in Islam, Christianity or Druze heritage.[204] In 2003, over half of all Israeli twelfth graders earned a matriculation certificate.[205]

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/180px-Solar_dish_at_Ben-Gurion_Nati.jpg

The world's largest solar parabolic dish at the Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center.[206]

Israel's eight public universities are subsidized by the state.[203][207] The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel's oldest university, houses the Jewish National and University Library, the world's largest repository of books on Jewish subjects.[208] In 2006, the Hebrew University was ranked 60th[209] and 119th[210] in two surveys of the world's top universities. Other major universities in the country include the Technion, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Israel's seven research universities (excluding the Open University) have been ranked in the top 500 in the world.

[211] Israel ranks third in the world in the number of citizens who hold university degrees (20 percent of the population).[212][213] During the 1990s, an influx of a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union (forty percent of whom were university graduates) helped boost Israel's high-tech sector.[212] Israel has produced four Nobel Prize-winning scientists[214] and publishes among the most scientific papers per capita of any country in the world.[215][216] In 2003, Ilan Ramon became Israel's first astronaut, serving as payload specialist of STS-107, the fatal mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

Israel has embraced solar energy, its engineers are on the cutting edge of solar energy technology[217] and its solar companies work on projects around the world.[218][219] Over 90% of Israeli homes use solar energy for hot water, the highest per capita in the world.[220] [221] According to government figures, the country saves 8% of its electricity consumption per year because of its solar energy use in heating.[222] The high annual incident solar irradiance at its geographic latitude creates ideal conditions for what is an internationally renowned solar research and development industry in the Negev Desert.[217][218][219]
:cheers:

Sure, Israel isn't a bad model at all. It has a good local military industrial complex, it has the renowned kibbutz cooperative, and it knows how to deal with islamic terrorists and other enemies. All that is but a product of a very strong "Eretz Israel" or Israeli State which empahsizes on the collective rather than liberal individualism.

Whatever it is and however one tries to play as an apologist for both the Nazis and the Fascists, there remains one indelible fact. Both ideologies conspired (along with their Third Axis Asiatic Partner – you may well want to indulge in the ideology of Imperial Japan as well at some point in this thread) to bring what can tidily be summed up as HELL on Earth. It’s not mere guilt by association but guilt by proactive participation. Now with an atrocious track record like that, it is appalling that any one in his right senses can even be so nostalgic about these xenophobic lunatics. :ohno:

I don't apologize for anything. I merely updated you on recent events in Italy. If you don't like it then tell Israel to nuke the Italians.

Also, I simply explained the ideological differences between Italian Fascism and German National Socialism. Does that mean I'm apologizing for them?

One can play semantics with words, with ideas, with sophistry. As an extreme example, one can even weave clever sophistry and portray Lucifer as a true Angel of Light who was unjustly banished from the Heavens. I am seeing the same parallels some are weaving around here with Fascism – the umbrella ideology covering Nazism, Italian Fascism, Spanish Falangism and Japanese Imperialism. I couldn’t care less with the ideas these clowns present for I only see the mayhem, the death and the destruction these groups wreaked havoc upon the planet and humankind. So as you can see, the parallels I am drawing up with Lucifer is not really that far off. :lol:

You could say the same for democracy. Did not democratic U.S.A. invade the Philippines and subjugate the Filipinos?

Did not democratic U.S.A. practice terrorism and genocide over the native populations in Samar and over the Ilocos region during what they called the "Philippine Insurrection"?

Did not democratic U.S.A. practice genocide over the native American indians?, did they not steal their lands and enter into agressive expansionist wars against these poor natives?

Was not democratic U.S.A. one of the last among the "civilized" countries to openly practice the institution of legalized slavery long after most other western countries have abolished them?

Democracies can just be as murderous as any tyranny because a majority vote can just as easily clamor for expansionist wars, the enslavement of peoples, and the anihilation of unwanted races.

And you can't just say.."Ah well that's in the past and they didn't murder as many people as the other". Well let's just say the German nazis were trying to do in 5 years what resulted in the combined murders accumulated by democratic America, Britain and France, that which they had been doing for generations.

And with regards to Franco, well he may have murdered a lot of reds but there is no proof that he killed any jews...maybe communist jews yes, but not simply becuse they happened to be jews. As a matter of fact he extended state protections to Spanish jews, particulary the Sephardic Jewish population of Spain and Spanish Morocco.

Let’s begin from bottom up. Nazis for lebensraum and Aryan peace and prosperity? Yes, and the price the world has to pay for that is the annihilation of all “non-Aryan” peoples. That would include you and your family, unless you are 100% Teutonic and German. But of course, only those with more than 75% European blood are prone to this White Power malaise. I suppose as a Filipino you are. :ohno:

Again I'm not defending them. You don't get my point. What I'm saying is that I'm debunking the notion that the racism of the Nazis was so untinkable to most Germans or even most white people during that time, that Hitler's success was perhaps attributable to some kind of demonaic power to persuade, hypnotize and propagandize.

Also, I find it utterly ridiculous for all these democratic Americans, British, and Frenchmen who like to gloat in self-righteouness as if to say that they were never racist nor genocidal maniacs themselves..... SUCH HYPOCRISY!

Mussolini’s Fascism believed in a Mare Nostrum for the Mediterranean or the revival of the Roman Empire. True, and again at what price? To wage war, death and destruction upon its neighbours just for the pure coincidence of being within the former sphere of ancient Rome -That is silly and ridiculous. That there are still xenophobic groups glorifying these things is really mind boggling. :lol: Hypothetically, if Italy had won (no matter how “weak” and “inefficient” the Italians were compared with the Germans and Japs), what would be the next step? But of course, common sense dictates that a racial hierarchy would ensue upon the conquered peoples of the Mediterranean and Africa. A return to slavery, as it was in ancient Rome.

Think of it this way...if you lived in a world like in the 1920s and 30s dominated by Britain, France and America, certainly these nations will want to keep their world hegemony intact. THEY ALREADY OWNED THE WORLD, THERE IS NO NEED TO WISH FOR MORE EXPANISONISM THROUGH AGRESSIVE WAR, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

Naturally, it need not be said that Britain, France, and America still had to resort to the brutality of invading other nations and subjugating the weak to get to the level of superpowerdom they had secured for themselves. Given that you already control the world's economies through your banks, the oceans through your navies, and the peoples through your armies, you would wish to promote "peaceful co-existence" because it was in your interest to maintain the status quo, as well as discourage the rise of rivals who would challenge your dominance.

Take note, Italy was with the allies in WWI, Italy was supposed to have been one of the victors of that war. They suffered huge losses of men and materiel helping the British and French yet got very little out of it except a few scraps of disputed territory over their border with Austria, whereas France and Britain took the lion's share of the spoils.

Why indeed did the Royal Navy have to dominate the mediterranean sea when Britain is an island that's not even within the mediterranean, while almost all of Italy is bordered by it....such was the rationale behind "Mare Nostrum".




Common sense would tell you there is still a real sense of Racism going on there. Superiority of those with Roman ancestry against all the other inferior peoples; what next, a return to the Gladiators and the Arenas and the feeding of all inferior peoples to the lions? Bollocks. :ohno:

That's not true, the greatness of ancient Rome was that it was the first state to apply the modern concept of "citizen" not merely exclusive to Romans by birth or the Latins by race, but rather to those peoples of other lands and races from within the empire who have proven their merit and loyalty to the state.

You will note that St. Paul himself was a Jew who enjoyed the full rights of Roman citizenship. Top charioteers and gladiators were considered as superstars in ancient Rome, many of whom were black africans. Some even became senators.

About he only position barred from anyone except a "racially pure" Roman was that of a vestal virgin, well what person would really want to be that?


You “don’t know about Hitler” and the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei? Strange for someone so well read, everyone else in the sane world knows about Hitler and the Nazis plus their antics except you. Apologists may well now claim there were tame variants of Nazism that never took off; howbeit in the final analysis, all these right wing variants always fed on the same old things - hatred, xenophobia, anti-semitism... :dizzy:

Again, you don't get it. I merely responded to your statement... "I cannot believe I'd be seeing Benito Mussolini & Adolf Hitler even reminisced anywhere."

To restate myself, I don't know if Hitler is anymore popular today than he was when he shot himself in his bunker while the Red Army was pulverizing Berlin back in 1945. Mussolini I know is actually being reminisced by most Italians as of today. So there, I merely informed you. Believe what you like, but you'll have to reject the truth about it in this particular case.

Now does this mean a resurgence of anti-semitism and racial hatred like most 'politcally correct" liberals and commies might want to say?.... of course not, Italian Fascism is about "statism", not racism".

:lol:Yeah sure, but then what was your point? So they collaborated and so what?

If you know your WW2 history, both Hilter and Stalin collaborated together to form "The Nazi-Soviet Pact". Yes unthinkable, yet it happened.

Both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia cooperated with each other when they invaded Poland in September 1939. Hitler took the western half of Polish territory while the Soviets took the eastern half.

Hostilities between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union didn't begin until June 1941, almost two years after the outbreak of the war. All the while when Poland, Norway, Denmark, the low countries, France, the balkans, Greece and North Africa were being invaded and when German bombs were dropping over British cities, the Soviets continued to supply Nazi Germany with oil and other vital strategic materials to sustain the nazi war machine. I already stated a historical fact and yet you missed that historical point entirely? I will state this historical fact a 3rd and last time, and that ought to be enough. At one point in its history, the PAP and the Communists did forge an alliance. But then they parted ways later. Now these are neutral historical statements, without any colour from the left nor right if that is what you are trying to insinuate. That's the problem, you were eagerly awaiting for the political punchline when there was none. :lol:

I do not even know why the PAP was brought up in this thread and lumped together with the Fascists. There is also no need to go into a lecture about the Nazi-Soviet pact and the succeeding War on the Eastern Front. I know my WWII and WWI histories plus the in-between Great Depression very, very well, indeed. Trust me.

We were only talking about SG's PAP. :lol: Ang layo grabe hah?

If both Rivera and Mosley are from the same fascist league, I wouldn’t bother reading about them. I am no great fan of Generalissimo Francisco Franco either. :sleepy:

You don't have to be a fan of Franco, he already won the Spanish Civil War. He already appointed his King Juan Carlos de Borbon, his Spanish Legion is still intact, his "Valley of the Fallen" monument is still there, the Spanish flag is still the red-yellow and red of the nationalist side instead of the republican red-yellow and purple.

But then why should we be pro-Franco or even pro-Rivera or Mosley? They were for Spain and Britain respectively, they were not working for the greater benefit of the Philippines.

My philisophy is to take from them what is useful and reject was isn't useful in context of the Philippine situation.

That is mere conjecture to say that Bonifacio was anti-white, since he was himself a mestizo. He may have thought of the Tagalog Republic but I seriously seriously doubt he wanted a Tagalog monarchy.

Mestizo yes, but not white. Again believe what you like.

If you’re saying Ricarte and his ilk (I do not know of Ricarte as well) were the better guys since they never bowed to the United States, heck they probably never did, now did they? :lol: But they still undeniably BOWED to another foreign power, the 3rd colonizer, the Japanese. By returning home triumphant with Benigno Ramos under the aegis of the Japanese samurai sword and the Emperor of Japan, well the Filipino people at that zeitgeist in time would view these guys as C-O-L-L-A-B-O-R-A-T-O-R-S with the Third Axis Power. Now who is the better person, Aguinaldo or Ricarte? Ricarte became a Japanese puppet IMHO just like the last Manchu emperor Pu Yi was turned into a Japanese puppet in Manchukuo / Manchuria. Are you saying the ideals of the 1898 Revolution transformed to become a Japanese anime cartoon / manga? (But of course, under the clever disguise of Asia for the Asians, yea riggghhht). :lol:

As far as Ricarte was concerned, the war with America didn't end in 1902. The Americans were the enemy who invaded and forcibly occupied the Philippines, that was what he understood. To him, Japan was at least an "asiatic" power and a potent symbol that asatics can and are able to defeat the western powers. Whatever collaboration he may have had with the Japanese, he didn't do it on behalf of Japanese imperial interests. He never swore an oath of loyalty to the Japanese emperor, he remained a Filipino nationalist and his activities were thus directed. You cannot say with cock sureness that he was a traitor.

Anyway, if Artemio Ricarte was wrong at least he paid for it with his life.

Aguinaldo on the other hand swore an oath of allegiance to America. It's okay for him to get captured, it's okay for him to have lost the war against the U.S. but he didn't have to pledge loyalty to the United States. That's the one thing still left within his power to deny the Americans, yet he gave that up as well. It may have been excusable for any other Filipino general or common soldier to do so, but not Aguinaldo because he was the top leader of and embodiment of the Philippine independence movement.

So what happened in 1942 when the Japanese were invading the Philippines and besieging Bataan?....Aguinaldo made a radio broadcast from Japanese occupied Manila denouncing the U.S. and urging the Filipino soldiers in Bataan to give up and surrender.

Aguinaldo became traitor to the cause of Philippine independence which he swore to defend with his life by pledging allegiance to the U.S., then he became a traitor to the Americans by making that radio broadcast. Can two wrongs make a right?

Can anyone even measure the scale of destruction unleashed by the Japanese against the Philippines in a very, very, very short span of 5 years??? Just look at the wartime thread for all the ample proof in the world. Manila reduced to a pile of rubble. :ohno:

How many Filipinos died during the Fil-Am War? Conservative estimates (mostly American) tag the figure at around 100, 000 dead. Some feel it was more like 1,000,000 including those who died from the effects of starvation from U.S. troops using "scorched earth" tactics, and disease caused by the forced internment of civilians into concentration camps as a tactic to deny food and shelter to the "insurrectos" during that war.

More innocent civilians and more damage to towns and cities happened during the liberation by U.S. troops than at any time during the Japanese invasion and/or occupation of the Philippines.

You see, these things would never have happened had the U.S. adequately supported MacArthur's USAFFE and vigorously defended the Philippines in the first place. As Quezon aptly put..."America would no sooner defend a distant cousin living next door (Britain) than to come to the rescue of a stepdaughter being raped in their own kitchen (the Philippines).

:lol: I already stated a historical fact and yet you missed that historical point entirely? I will state this historical fact a 3rd and last time, and that ought to be enough. At one point in its history, the PAP and the Communists did forge an alliance. But then they parted ways later. Now these are neutral historical statements, without any colour from the left nor right if that is what you are trying to insinuate. That's the problem, you were eagerly awaiting for the political punchline when there was none. :lol:

I do not even know why the PAP was brought up in this thread and lumped together with the Fascists. There is also no need to go into a lecture about the Nazi-Soviet pact and the succeeding War on the Eastern Front. I know my WWII and WWI histories plus the in-between Great Depression very, very well, indeed. Trust me.

We were only talking about SG's PAP. :lol: Ang layo grabe hah?

Yes but you see that's a completely useless statement to begin with, what does that have to do with arguing with what I've been saying? Useless man, utterly useless!

It would make sense if it were an attempt to show me that the PAP was actually a leftist or communist organization and not a state corporatist one, but then it's a non-starter isn't it?

Owing to its (fascism's) warped mentalities and xenophobia, I shan't be wasting any more time discussing Political Ideologies with a neo-fascist.

The word Apologize:
a•pol•o•gize [ ə póllə jz ] (past and past participle a•pol•o•gized, present participle a•pol•o•giz•ing, 3rd person present singular a•pol•o•giz•es)

intransitive verb

Definition:

1. express remorse for something: to say that you are sorry for something that has upset or inconvenienced somebody else
2. acknowledge that something is not ideal: to acknowledge that something is not as it should be, especially when you feel embarrassed or guilty about it
3. defend something formally: to defend something formally in writing or speech
[Late 16th century. < Greek apologizesthai< apologia (see apology)]


a•pol•o•giz•er noun


The word Apologist:

a•pol•o•gist [ ə pólləjist ] (plural a•pol•o•gists)



noun

Definition:

defender of belief: somebody who defends a doctrine or ideology
_________________________________________________________


For the record, I never ever invoked the word "to apologize" when referring to you. I explicitly used the word Apologist.

There is a great difference between the English words “apologist” and “apologizer”. I trust the definitions are sufficient for the incorrigible. You are merely playing semantics. Once again, you are an apologist for Fascism under the guise of a Third Way.

Yes, please do turn a blind eye to the untold horrors and destruction and the near collapse of European Civilization as we know it brought about by the Second World War and the Axis Powers, to which Italian Fascism played an active part in.

On the contrary, I am not rejecting the truth. I am quite aware of attempts from the right for a comeback. Nevertheless, still I am in disagreement with their ideology. Well, even if they by pure luck gain power tomorrow and control a Fascist or re-Nazified European Union, I will still not bow down and pay homage to the Beast.
:lol:

Yes but you see that's a completely useless statement to begin with, what does that have to do with arguing with what I've been saying? Usless man, utterly uselss!

If it were an attempt to show me that the PAP was actually a leftist or communist organization and not a state corporatist one, then it's a non-starter isn't it? You are utterly unbelievable. I was not arguing, just musing about the history of my adopted country. :nuts: Because you seemed to like invoking Singapore, the PAP and Lee Kuan Yew at every turn. Since when is a historical statement useless? It was not an attempt to paint the PNP into a Red Corner (commie?). Are we living in the 1950s here when everyone was accused of being Red? I am not a Commie. Get over it, chill and like, hey get a life. :lol:

Oh yea, btw here in the Straits, everyone knows Minister Mentor LKY is spelled as a Yew and not Yu. - another fact with no political colour whatsoever... :lol:

You are utterly unbelievable. I was not arguing, just musing about the history of my adopted country. :nuts: Because you seemed to like invoking Singapore, the PAP and Lee Kuan Yew at every turn. Since when is a historical statement useless? It was not an attempt to paint the PNP into a Red Corner (commie?). Are we living in the 1950s here when everyone was accused of being Red? I am not a Commie. Get over it, chill and like, hey get a life. :lol:

And what if I was invoking the PAP at every turn? They did good over there, even you seem to live and work there to your satisfaction.

Oh yea, btw here in the Straits, everyone knows Minister Mentor LKY is spelled as a Yew and not Yu. - another fact with no political colour whatsoever... :lol:

Well thanks for the information, but I'm no Singaporean so I can spell Dr. Lee's name as "Yu", just as I would continue to spell Mao's name as Mao Tse Tung instead of Mao Zhe Dong, ....get over that and we'll call it even.:lol:

Owing to its (fascism's) warped mentalities and xenophobia, I shan't be wasting any more time discussing Political Ideologies with a neo-fascist.

That's because you can't win in a serious and sensible argument, so all you are left with is to say I am a "warped xenophobic", which is a wild assertion.




For the record, I never ever invoked the word "to apologize" when referring to you. I explicitly used the word Apologist.

There is a great difference between the English words “apologist” and “apologizer”. I trust the definitions are sufficient for the incorrigible. You are merely playing semantics. Once again, you are an apologist for Fascism under the guise of a Third Way.

And yet, who between the two of us lives in a country run by a Third Positionist government?

And yet who between the two of us relies on a country run by a Third Positionist government for his daily bread?

You are biting the hand that feeds you Mr. Mercato :lol:

Yes, please do turn a blind eye to the untold horrors and destruction and the near collapse of European Civilization as we know it brought about by the Second World War and the Axis Powers, to which Italian Fascism played an active part in.

As I said, go and ask Israel to nuke the Italians back to the stone age before they release those seemingly untold yet well known horrors and destruction, if that's your strong conviction.

On the contrary, I am not rejecting the truth. I am quite aware of attempts from the right for a comeback. Nevertheless, still I am in disagreement with their ideology. Well, even if they by pure luck gain power tomorrow and control a Fascist or re-Nazified European Union, I will still not bow down and pay homage to the Beast.
:lol:

Yet you don't mind living and working for a country which is run by a Third Positionist regime?

Learn how to differentiate between racist ideology (which I disapprove), and statist ideology (which I favor). I didn't make that Third Positionist video, nor do I agree with all types of Third Positionist ideologies. Yes, Hitler's nazism was Third Positionist, but then Hitler's racist brand is not the only type of Third Positionism around.

Racism can be innate among societies and is capable of being practised even within democratic countries, racism after all can be an individual and voluntary attitude. In fact, you will note that "multiculturalism" and racial tolerance are values which, more often than not, need to be vigorously enforced and propagandized by the state.

A case in point would be the American Civil War. The Federal government under Lincoln had to impose civil rights and anti-slavery legislation over the rebellious southern U.S. states whose majority citizens vehemently opposed what they felt was dictatorship and interference by the federal government over their individual rights to own slaves, an institution which they saw as vital to the southern economy. For this, America had to fight their bloodiest conflict ever in U.S. history.

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/125px-Flag_of_Israel_svg.png
So that we are not OT on this thread, here is an example of a technically “Asian country” located in Southwest Asia – Israel and what the Philippines can learn from it. The Philippines can learn:

1. the benefits of desalinization - water conversion from salt water to potable water,
2. hydroponics – advanced agricultural methods,
3. nuclear technology,
4. world class education,
5. alternative energy sources (Solar).
6. Plus the Philippines can also learn the art of war – Israeli style. Unbeknownst to many, Singapore does have close military ties and draws many of its sophisticated military technology from the Israelis. With technology like that, the Philippines can plant its feet on the Spratleys and elsewhere and no one can really do anything about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/150px-Israel-flag01c.jpg


Israel has the highest school life expectancy in Southwest Asia, and is tied with Japan for second-highest school life expectancy on the Asian continent (after South Korea).[198] Israel similarly has the highest literacy rate in Southwest Asia, according to the United Nations.[199] The State Education Law, passed in 1953, established five types of schools: state secular, state religious, ultra orthodox, communal settlement schools, and Arab schools. The public secular is the largest school group, and is attended by the majority of Jewish and non-Arab pupils in Israel. Most Arabs send their children to schools where Arabic is the language of instruction.[200]

Education is compulsory in Israel for children between the ages of three and eighteen.[201][202] Schooling is divided into three tiers – primary school (grades 1–6), middle school (grades 7–9), and high school (grades 10–12) – culminating with Bagrut matriculation exams. Proficiency in core subjects such as mathematics, Bible, Hebrew language, Hebrew and general literature, English, history, and civics is necessary to receive a Bagrut certificate.[203] In Arab, Christian and Druze schools, the exam on Biblical studies is replaced by an exam in Islam, Christianity or Druze heritage.[204] In 2003, over half of all Israeli twelfth graders earned a matriculation certificate.[205]

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/180px-Solar_dish_at_Ben-Gurion_Nati.jpg

The world's largest solar parabolic dish at the Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center.[206]

Israel's eight public universities are subsidized by the state.[203][207] The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel's oldest university, houses the Jewish National and University Library, the world's largest repository of books on Jewish subjects.[208] In 2006, the Hebrew University was ranked 60th[209] and 119th[210] in two surveys of the world's top universities. Other major universities in the country include the Technion, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Israel's seven research universities (excluding the Open University) have been ranked in the top 500 in the world.

[211] Israel ranks third in the world in the number of citizens who hold university degrees (20 percent of the population).[212][213] During the 1990s, an influx of a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union (forty percent of whom were university graduates) helped boost Israel's high-tech sector.[212] Israel has produced four Nobel Prize-winning scientists[214] and publishes among the most scientific papers per capita of any country in the world.[215][216] In 2003, Ilan Ramon became Israel's first astronaut, serving as payload specialist of STS-107, the fatal mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

Israel has embraced solar energy, its engineers are on the cutting edge of solar energy technology[217] and its solar companies work on projects around the world.[218][219] Over 90% of Israeli homes use solar energy for hot water, the highest per capita in the world.[220] [221] According to government figures, the country saves 8% of its electricity consumption per year because of its solar energy use in heating.[222] The high annual incident solar irradiance at its geographic latitude creates ideal conditions for what is an internationally renowned solar research and development industry in the Negev Desert.[217][218][219]
:cheers:

Do you think Israel would've accomplished all these things or better yet even exist as a nation if it weren't owned by Lord Amschel Rotschild himself, the guy who can simply print money without batting an eyelash. :cheers: They also receive billions in grant in aid and military assistance from the US every year.

Do you think Israel would've accomplished all these things or better yet even exist as a nation if it weren't owned by Lord Amschel Rotschild himself, the guy who can simply print money without batting an eyelash. :cheers: They also receive billions in grant in aid and military assistance from the US every year.

At least you can see where the U.S. aid is going to. Kung sa Pilipinas yan, pambahay naman yan ni Mikey Arroyo sa California na niregalo rin sa kanya. :lol:

Kung bilyon bilyon ang natatanggap nila sa Pilipinas, bilyon bilyon din ang kurakot.

^^
Tama! Kaya walang napapala yung mga tao mula sa mga aid dahil pinambibili lang ng bahay at mga anik-anik ng mga POLITIKO! Gusto ko silang ip death row lahat!

At least you can see where the U.S. aid is going to. Kung sa Pilipinas yan, pambahay naman yan ni Mikey Arroyo sa California na niregalo rin sa kanya. :lol:

Kung bilyon bilyon ang natatanggap nila sa Pilipinas, bilyon bilyon din ang kurakot.

You're not getting what I'm driving at and why be so defensive? Your post was about Israel and I was trying to gauge your level of knowledge about that country that's why I left you with a question but you never gave a direct answer but instead, would rather divert the issue.

Mahilig ka pala tumawa. Eto basahin mo kung pano gastusin ng mga hudyo yung military aid na binibigay nung mga kano sa kanila. Mas lalong nakakatawa to... :lol:

http://www.defraudingamerica.com/israel_index.html

"Governments do not govern, but merely control the machinery of government, being themselves controlled by the hidden hand."

"So you see, my dear Coningsby, that the world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes."

"The governments of the present day have to deal not merely with other governments, with emperors, kings and ministers, but also with the secret societies which have everywhere their unscrupulous agents, and can at the last moment upset all the governments’ plans."

-- Benjamin Disraeli
First and Only Jewish Prime Minister of England

You're not getting what I'm driving at and why be so defensive? Your post was about Israel and I was trying to gauge your level of knowledge about that country that's why I left you with a question but you never gave a direct answer but instead, would rather divert the issue.

Mahilig ka pala tumawa. Eto basahin mo kung pano gastusin ng mga hudyo yung military aid na binibigay nung mga kano sa kanila. Mas lalong nakakatawa to... :lol:

http://www.defraudingamerica.com/israel_index.html

"Governments do not govern, but merely control the machinery of government, being themselves controlled by the hidden hand."

"So you see, my dear Coningsby, that the world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes."

"The governments of the present day have to deal not merely with other governments, with emperors, kings and ministers, but also with the secret societies which have everywhere their unscrupulous agents, and can at the last moment upset all the governments’ plans."

-- Benjamin Disraeli
First and Only Jewish Prime Minister of England

I'm not being defensive when I posted that one. I'm merely emphasizing how Israel made a huge progress over less than 100 years of their nationhood including the US aid given to both countries. On top of that, the Jews in America owns big businesses in the country and their economic contributions in America can be compared to how the Chinese people are in the Philippines.

I read your website, and I think they're pretty entertaining for conspiracy theorists in the same level that 9/11 incident was an inside demolition job. :lol:

Oh yeah what else? Maybe Elvis is still alive. :lol:

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/images/stories/Daily_Images/2009/September/09142009/oped-pic.jpg

There is a need to improve business climate in the Philippines to make us very competitive in the global economy.

Editorial:

Not business as usual

Sunday, 13 September 2009 20:15
Business Mirror

THE results of two international surveys that came out last week were hardly flattering to the country’s image. In the 2009-2010 Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Philippines slipped 16 notches to 87th place out of 133 economies. In the World Bank’s Doing Business 2010 report, we dropped three notches to 144th out of 183 economies.

The GCI is based on 12 pillars of competitiveness: institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic stability, health and primary education, higher education and training, goods-market efficiency, labor-market efficiency, financial-market sophistication, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication and innovation. The index thus gives a comprehensive picture of the competitiveness landscape in countries around the world at all stages of development.

According to the survey, the country’s competitiveness is hobbled by corruption, an inefficient bureaucracy, inadequate supply of infrastructure, and policy instability. And there are other negative factors: access to financing, tax regulations, crime and theft, tax rates, government instability/coups, restrictive labor regulations, poor public health, a poor work ethic in the national labor force, an inadequately educated work force, and inflation.

All these make the Philippines second to the last among the Southeast Asian economies, with Cambodia the only neighboring country ranking lower than the Philippines at 110th place.

But that’s not the only bad thing going for the country. Our glaring lack of competitiveness compared with the rest of Southeast Asia and much of the developed world goes hand in hand with our dismal performance when it comes to providing the conditions for doing business.

The World Bank says that out of 10 indicators, namely, starting a business, dealing with construction permits, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and closing a business, the Philippines managed to pull off only three reforms. We lowered the corporate income tax, enacted a credit-information system law, and put in place the prenegotiated reorganization of businesses. Worse, of those 10 indicators, the only one where our ranking did not slip was in—hold your breath—the aspect of “closing a business.” Does this mean doing business in this country has worsened in all aspects, except when one is closing his business?

Faced with this double whammy from international institutions, expect government apologists to say: These surveys are based on perceptions, and hardly reflect the reality on the ground. That reasoning doesn’t wash because the survey results are based on clear indicators and not on broad generalizations.

And if there’s one inescapable conclusion that may be drawn from the double-barreled bad news from two respected institutions, it’s this: that the best efforts by our economic managers haven’t been good enough.

The reality is that most of our Southeast Asian neighbors, with the exception of Cambodia and Laos—two war-ravaged countries, by the way, like Vietnam—have overtaken us in economic development.

The WEF defines competitiveness as the set of institutions, policies and factors that determines a country’s level of productivity. That level, in turn, sets the sustainable level of prosperity that an economy can attain. More competitive economies tend to produce higher levels of income for their citizens.

Such does not seem possible now given the constraints that we face. Thus, it will be up to the next administration to substantially improve the business environment. The outgoing administration, however, can still do a lot to make the economy more hospitable to investors and more competitive with the rest of the world. First is to chuck the “business as usual” attitude that has caused the economy to list for the longest time.

The Virtues of Deglobalization: Has the time finally come to reverse and end globalization?


Written by Walden Bello / Special to the BusinessMirror
Thursday, 10 September 2009 20:50

THE current global downturn, the worst since the Great Depression 70 years ago, pounded the last nail into the coffin of globalization. Already beleaguered by evidence that showed global poverty and inequality increasing even as most poor countries experienced little or no economic growth, globalization has been terminally discredited in the last two years as the much-heralded process of financial and trade interdependence went into reverse and became the transmission belt not of prosperity but of economic crisis and collapse.

End of an era

In their responses to the current economic crisis, governments paid lip service to global coordination but propelled separate stimulus programs meant to rev up national markets. In so doing, governments quietly shelved export-oriented growth, long the driver of many economies, though paid the usual nostrums to advancing trade liberalization as a means of countering the global downturn by completing the Doha Round of trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization. There is an increasing acknowledgment that there will be no returning to a world centrally dependent on free-spending American consumers, since the latter are bankrupt and nobody has taken their place.

Moreover, whether agreed on internationally or unilaterally set up by national governments, a whole raft of restrictions will almost certainly be imposed on finance capital, the untrammeled mobility of which has been the cutting edge of the current crisis.

Intellectual discourse, however, has not yet shown many signs of a break with orthodoxy. Neoliberalism, with its emphasis on free trade, the primacy of private enterprise and a minimalist role for the state, continues to be the default language among policymakers. The establishment critics of market fundamentalism, including luminaries such as Nobel Prize winners Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman, have become entangled in endless debates over how large the stimulus programs should be and whether the state should retain its interventionist presence in the auto industry and finance or, once stabilized, return the companies and banks to the private sector. Moreover, some, such as Stiglitz, continue to believe in what they perceive to be the economic benefits of globalization while bemoaning its social costs.

But trends are fast outpacing both the ideologues of neoliberal globalization and many of their critics, and developments thought impossible a few years ago are gaining steam. “The integration of the world economy is in retreat on almost every front,” writes the Economist. While the magazine says that corporations continue to believe in the efficiency of global supply chains, “like any chain, these are only as strong as their weakest link. A danger point will come if firms decide that this way of organizing production has had its day.”

“Deglobalization,” a term that the Economist attributes to me, is a development that the magazine, the world’s prime avatar of free-market ideology, views as negative. I believe, however, that deglobalization is an opportunity. Indeed, my colleagues and I at Focus on the Global South first forwarded deglobalization as a comprehensive paradigm to replace neoliberal globalization almost a decade ago, when the stresses, strains and contradictions brought about by the latter had become painfully evident. Elaborated as an alternative mainly for developing countries, the deglobalization paradigm is not without relevance to the central capitalist economies.

11 pillars of the alternative

There are 11 key prongs of the deglobalization paradigm.

1. Production for the domestic market must again become the center of gravity of the economy rather than production for export markets.

2. The principle of subsidiarity should be enshrined in economic life by encouraging production of goods at the level of the community and at the national level, if this can be done at reasonable cost, in order to preserve community.

3. Trade policy—that is, quotas and tariffs—should be used to protect the local economy from destruction by corporate-subsidized commodities with artificially low prices.

4. Industrial policy—including subsidies, tariffs and trade—should be used to revitalize and strengthen the manufacturing sector.

5. Long-postponed measures of equitable income redistribution and land redistribution (including urban land reform) can create a vibrant internal market that would serve as the anchor of the economy and produce local financial resources for investment.

6. Deemphasizing growth, emphasizing upgrading the quality of life, and maximizing equity will reduce environmental disequilibrium.

7. The development and diffusion of environmentally congenial technology in both agriculture and industry should be encouraged.

8. Strategic economic decisions cannot be left to the market or to technocrats. Instead, the scope of democratic decision-making in the economy should be expanded so that all vital questions—such as which industries to develop or phase out, what proportion of the government budget to devote to agriculture, etc.—become subject to democratic discussion and choice.

9. Civil society must constantly monitor and supervise the private sector and the state, a process that should be institutionalized.

10. The property complex should be transformed into a “mixed economy” that includes community cooperatives, private enterprises and state enterprises, and excludes transnational corporations.

11. Centralized global institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank should be replaced with regional institutions built not on free trade and capital mobility but on principles of cooperation that, to use the words of Hugo Chavez in describing the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, “transcend the logic of capitalism.”

From the cult of efficiency to effective economics

The aim of the deglobalization paradigm is to move beyond the economics of narrow efficiency, in which the key criterion is the reduction of unit cost, never mind the social and ecological destabilization this process brings about. It is to move beyond a system of economic calculation that, in the words of John Maynard Keynes, made “the whole conduct of life…into a paradox of an accountant’s nightmare.” An effective economics, rather, strengthens social solidarity by subordinating the operations of the market to the values of equity, justice and community by enlarging the sphere of democratic decision-making. To use the language of the great Hungarian thinker Karl Polanyi in his book The Great Transformation, deglobalization is about “reembedding” the economy in society, instead of having society driven by the economy.

The deglobalization paradigm also asserts that a one-size-fits-all model like neoliberalism or centralized bureaucratic socialism is dysfunctional and destabilizing. Instead, diversity should be expected and encouraged, as it is in nature. Shared principles of alternative economics do exist, and they have already substantially emerged in the struggle against and critical reflection over the failure of both centralized socialism and capitalism. However, how these principles—the most important of which have been sketched out above—are concretely articulated will depend on the values, rhythms and strategic choices of each society.

Deglobalization’s pedigree

Though it may sound radical, deglobalization is not really new. Its pedigree includes the writings of the towering British economist Keynes, who, at the height of the Depression, bluntly stated: “We do not wish…to be at the mercy of world forces working out, or trying to work out, some uniform equilibrium, according to the principles of laissez faire capitalism.” Indeed, he continued, over “an increasingly wide range of industrial products, and perhaps agricultural products also, I become doubtful whether the economic cost of self-sufficiency is great enough to outweigh the other advantages of gradually bringing the producer and the consumer within the ambit of the same national, economic and financial organization. Experience accumulates to prove that most modern mass-production processes can be performed in most countries and climates with almost equal efficiency.”

And with words that have a very contemporary ring, Keynes concluded, “I sympathize…with those who would minimize rather than with those who would maximize economic entanglement between nations. Ideas, knowledge, art, hospitality, travel—these are the things which should, of their nature, be international. But let goods be homespun whenever it is reasonably and conveniently possible; and, above all, let finance be primarily national.”

*Foreign Policy in Focus columnist Walden Bello represents the party-list Akbayan in the Philippines’ House of Representatives, heads the Freedom from Debt Coalition, and serves as senior analyst at the Bangkok-based research and advocacy institute Focus on the Global South. The author of Deglobalization: Ideas for a New World Economy and 14 other books, he can be contacted at waldenbello@yahoo.

Development coherence in trade governance: Key to the rebuilding of the global economy

Written by Rene E. Ofreneo, Ph.D. / School of Labor and Industrial Relations / University of the Philippines
Monday, 07 September 2009 20:42
Business Mirror


THE global crisis has one positive and liberating aspect—policymakers and even once-arrogant neoliberal economists are now openly questioning the wisdom of untrammeled liberalization. The present global recession has abundantly shown that liberalizing the financial and other economic sectors wholesale sans rules is a formula for disaster, be it applied in a developed market economy like the United States or in a small developing economy like Haiti.

Ironically, this is not a new observation. As early as the 1990s, various trade unions and civil society organizations worldwide had been complaining about the deepening mass poverty, joblessness and inequality in economies which had embraced uncritically the World Bank’s “structural adjustment program” (SAP) consisting of measures promoting trade and investment liberalization, privatization and deregulation in a one-sided manner.

The IMF shock therapy for Yeltsin’s Russia, the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, the mass peasant suicides in Third World agriculture and the deindustrialization that occurred in SAP-driven economies such as the Philippines all point to the incoherence and illogic in the SAP’s simplistic economic construct of growth automatically flowing from a narrow program of liberalization. This is the underlying reason for the waves of the antiglobalization mass protests that have hit the WTO, the IMF-World Bank tandem and the annual Davos elite summit beginning with the Seattle Revolt that crippled the 1999 WTO Ministerial Conference.

Eventually, these critical views of the CSOs and trade unions have found a hearing in two major UN bodies: the ILO and the UNDP. In 2003, the ILO-sponsored “World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization” (WCSDG) came out with A Fair Globalization, a report documenting the deepening global and regional inequalities across the globe and the disturbing global “race to the bottom” among global corporations seeking to roll back labor and other standards in their search for cheap and docile labor.

Earlier, in 1999, the UNDP published a seminal Human Development Report,
concluding that globalization has a great capacity to do good as well as inflict harm; and arguing for the promotion of “globalization with a human face” and the development of markets based on “institutions and rules. On trade, the 1999 HDR noted the rapid growth of global markets as well as the unequal global outcomes of such growth. Thus, the 1999 HDR calls for “fairer trade”, especially for developing countries, for a review of previous trade agreements and their promises before commencing any new trade talks, for the inclusion of labor and environmental standards in trade negotiations, and for the elimination of the huge agricultural and export subsidies in the developed countries. On global economic governance, the 1999 HDR calls for the development of rules and institutions based on six guidelines—ethics (less violations of human rights), equity (less disparity within and between nations), inclusion (less marginalization of people and countries), human security (less instability of societies and less vulnerability of people), sustainability (less environmental destruction), and development (less poverty and deprivation). The 1999 HDR also cites the need for global ethical standards to govern or regulate the behavior of the leading global economic actors, meaning the transnational corporations (TNCs).

These ground-breaking studies by the ILO and UNDP have been followed by more detailed reports on the uneven economic, social and labor impact of globalization and the SAP program, which has been baptized by its global proponents as the “Washington Consensus.” In particular, studies show that:

· Growth does not automatically flow from trade liberalization. China and Vietnam have shown that growth can be achieved through gradual liberalization under a regime of high tariff walls. In contrast, Haiti in the 1990s and the Philippines in the 1980s (under the World Bank’s structural adjustment program) registered poor growth despite the adoption of comprehensive trade and economic liberalization measures.

· The history of developed countries shows that they embraced liberalization after they achieved a significant level of growth and development, not before. This means countries dismantle trade barriers once they get richer. This observation is repeated in the case of Japan, the Asian NICs and more recently, by China and India.

In Making Trade Work (2003), the UNDP discussed lengthily the “special and differential treatment” (SDT) principle, which is mentioned in 97 clauses of the various WTO agreements. The SDT principle recognizes the need of developing countries to have greater flexibility in meeting their commitments under the WTO. To gain the support of many developing countries for a new round of global trade talks, the WTO reaffirmed in the 2001 Doha Ministerial the central importance of SDT. And yet, the irony is that the Doha Development Round (DDR) has not progressed, partly because of the refusal of the developed countries to give up their flexibility in agriculture (in terms of subsidies and support systems for their domestic producers and exporters) while insisting on the wholesale liberalization by developing countries of their agriculture (AoA), industry (NAMA) and services (GATS). Incidentally, Making Trade Work gave a brief overview on how the production of corn, a staple crop in Mexico, collapsed after the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) in 1994, and how the Philippines, a major agricultural exporting country in the past, has become a net agricultural importing country since joining the WTO, also in 1994.

The foregoing ideas in the above UNDP reports also find resonance in A Fair Globalization (2003) of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization (WCSDG) organized by the ILO as well as in the in-depth reports produced by some global civil society organizations such as the Rigged Rules and Double Standards (2002) produced by Oxfam. :)

FairTrade’s trade campaign experience

The question is how come these enlightening ideas developed by the UNDP and other development institutions and embraced by many CSOs have not been institutionalized?

The obvious answer: it is difficult to kick out the habits and ways of thinking developed by three decades of neoliberal indoctrination, especially in a country like the Philippines where neoliberal economists have dominated the economic technocracy for so long. With the global failure of neoliberalism, we hope to see some advances in the implementation of these trade governance ideas developed by the UNDP.

In the meantime, we would like to share briefly the experience of our Alliance in its campaign for fair and just trade policy governance at the national and global level.

But first, an explanation on why our Alliance was formed. The Alliance, ironically, was formed on September 11, 2001, in response to a different kind of devastation—the collapse of a large number of industries, farming areas and jobs and incomes in the Philippines.

Examples of industries which have collapsed or are collapsing: textiles, rubber, tire, tile, ceramics, battery, petrochemicals, plastics, pulp and paper and foundry.

Examples of farming areas which have declined are those devoted to rice, corn, sugar, onion, garlic and livestock. Interestingly, the Alliance was formed on the joint initiative of several industry and trade union groups, primarily to question the WB-imposed SAP liberalization.

The issue here is not trade liberalization per se, but the one-sided and virtually unqualified way by which SAP was formulated and implemented. SAP was undertaken without any consultation with nor explanation to the affected sectors; the liberalization targets put the country’s tariff rates way ahead of many Asia-Pacific countries; there were hardly any major measures instituted to make the cost of doing business and farming affordable in the Philippines; and there were no workable safety nets put in place, including measures to check unfair trade practices of other countries such as dumping and smuggling.

The result was a “hollowing out” of the Philippine economy and its transformation into one dependent on overseas migrant remittances and dependence on a few export winners such as the electronics assembly industry (which accounts for two-thirds of the total exports), some tropical fruits (mainly banana and pineapple) and now ICT-based services (primarily call center or customer services).

Now, what are some of the lessons learned by the Alliance in the last seven years?

First, social dialogue and engagement with policy makers are critical but are not enough. We had dialogues with the executive department (President Arroyo, Cabinet members dealing with industry and agriculture, tariff and planning officials, ambassador to the WTO) and the legislative department (senators and congressmen dealing with trade, industry and agricultural issues). Through these dialogues, we got to learn each other’s positions. The problem is that some of the officials would only listen perfunctorily but would not budge from the positions they have already taken, or would temporarily postpone a tariff reduction program only for a year or two.

However, we managed to also register significant gains as a result of these dialogues. For example, one reason for the collapse of the 2003 and 2005 WTO Ministerials in Cancun and Hong Kong was the stubborn refusal of developed countries to give up their agricultural subsidies while insisting on the wholesale liberalization of the industry, agriculture and service markets. The Philippines sided with the countries which said ‘No’ to the draft Ministerial agreements because of the obvious unevenness in the drafts. We in the Alliance would like to claim part of the credit for the Philippine position in these Ministerials because we had intensive dialogues with key officials before and during the Ministerials. In fact, some of the Alliance members served as advisers of the government. The battle cry then was “no deal is better than a bad deal”.

Other significant gains: the enactment of the “cheap medicine law” in the Philippines based on the “flexibilities” under the TRIPS and the application of temporary safeguard duties on some commodities such as cement, tile and petrochemicals.

Still another significant gain is the Philippine consistent position on the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) against global agricultural imbalances. The Philippines has also taken a strong position against the ambitious program of some countries to liberalize further industry (through NAMA) and services (through GATS). Again, the Alliance has contributed to this position of the government.

However, a big problem we have encountered in the campaign for fair and just trade is the proliferation of regional and bilateral trade talks, usually in the context of Asean economic integration and Apec economic cooperation.

These talks, dubbed appropriately as the “Asian noodle bowl” of various trade liberalization agreements, are not only confusing; they are also conducted in a haphazard manner. For example, why should Asean go into all these regional and bilateral talks when it has a hard time addressing internal regional economic integration in the first place?

The development gaps between or among Asean countries are huge, ranging from the $200 per capita of Myanmar to $30,000 per capita of Singapore.

How can these various trade talks help close the gaps? Intra-Asean trade also constitutes just a fifth of its total trade compared to EU’s 60 percent and Nafta’s 50 percent, meaning there is very little economic complementation taking place in the region. In fact, Afta-CEPT preferential tariffs account only for less than 5 percent of total intra-Asean trade, which is dominated by Factory Asia products, meaning products of transnationals operating across Asean and Asia-Pacific countries through their global production chains. These chains such as those in electronics, auto parts, garments and so on do not even need trade liberalization per se because they are usually based in duty-free export processing zones!

One bilateral that has consumed so much of our time is the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa). In our engagement with the government on the pluses and minuses of Jpepa, we also learned a lot.

A bilateral trade agreement reduces the space and flexibility for a contracting party, especially a developing one, because its liberalization schedule is far more advanced and it covers even the so-called “Singapore issues”, which one of the reasons for the collapse of the 2003 Cancun WTO Ministerial.

The Singapore issues include investment, trade facilitation, competition policy and government procurement. In effect, a country gives up so much economic sovereignty when it makes binding commitment under these Singapore issues. Jpepa also provides for a questionable trade in toxic goods and the entry of Japanese “factory ships” in Philippine waters. It has a large number of exempted economic areas for the Japanese side, and yet virtually none for the Philippines. An illustration of the imbalance in Jpepa is the exclusion of 651 products for Japan and six only for the Philippines!

However, the biggest problem we have encountered in our campaign for fair and balanced trade is the failure of our own government economic planners and trade negotiators to come up with a clear development framework as the guide for trade negotiations. For example, there is no clear agro-industrial plan in place, especially one which outlines how domestic capacities can be nurtured and how these can be supplemented by balanced policies on trade. There is no list of losers and vulnerables. It is routinely assumed that the country as a whole is a winner under trade liberalization. This is why safety nets and capacity building measures for those affected are not fully addressed. The labor and social dimensions as well as the domestic economic repercussions of trade liberalization are hardly taken up in these trade agreements.

It is in this context that our Alliance tried to develop a five-point development development agenda as an alternative economic road map for the country. Briefly, the five points are:

· Development of a more balanced and pragmatic approach to trade, growth and agro-industrial development such as the balanced development of both the export and domestic markets, reliance on both domestic and foreign investments, and the upgrading and value addition in existing capacities;

· Building the “nation’s fences” against smuggling and unfair trade practices and leveling the fences (tariff and nontariff) at a level equal with other countries;

· Building up the nation’s productive capacity by mobilizing domestic investments for business growth, prioritizing fiscal expenditures on capacity building (not on debt repayment), and re-building the country’s eroded agro-industrial base;

· Unleashing the people’s creative and productive capacity through asset reforms (e.g., land reform, urban reform) and human resources development; and

· Developing a culture of industrialism, excellence and economic nationalism.

What can UNDP and social partners do?

The initiative of UNDP to revisit the challenge of trade integration and governance to serve human development is most welcome. Based on the foregoing experience of our Alliance, we would to recommend the following:

· Coherence in economic, social and labor policies should be addressed in trade governance. Such incoherence is at the roots of the crisis in the mass discontent with globalization, WTO and global financial institutions.

· Relatedly, there should be efforts to cast aside the neoliberal framework of one-size-fits-all for not all countries are created equal. You cannot pit a lightweight boxer versus a heavyweight boxer under supposedly equal rules of boxing like no hitting below the belt. In this context, the world should rethink the mindless proliferation of bilaterals and regionals which weaken the capacities of less developed countries to determine their priorities.

· As provided by the 1994 WTO agreement, there should be a more balanced review and analysis of the world’s experience with trade liberalization, with special focus on winners and losers and development opportunities lost and gained.

· The SDT principle in global trade talks should be put at the center of global and regional trade talks. The issues here are policy space, flexibility and capacity of a developing country to participate meaningfully and productively in global trade. There should be calibration of trade policies in accordance with the development requirements or priorities of a country.

· Trade policy should not abet but should instead arrest the global and regional race to the bottom. We have seen how countries have sacrificed labor, social and environmental standards in the name of investment attraction and export promotion under globalization. This race to the bottom is anti-development and anti-human.

To conclude, the UNDP should not miss the opportunity to use the global crisis as an opportunity to help build up rules and institutions supportive of a more balanced approach to trade governance, one that is truly dedicated to human development, not just profits for a few global corporates.


From: Development coherence in trade governance: Key to the rebuilding of the global economy

Written by Rene E. Ofreneo, Ph.D. / School of Labor and Industrial Relations / University of the Philippines
Monday, 07 September 2009 20:42
Business Mirror

Corruption in HK is very low because we have the ICAC. The Philippines needs it!

YoxNcejnIEg

Hanggang ngayon di natin alam ang ibig sabihin ng disiplina, unity, patriotism, at maraming iba. Dito nalang sa thread nato kung magpaligsahan kayo ng talino nakakalimutan niyo kung ano dapt nating matutunan sa mga katabi nating bansa. Pero ang lumalabas nagyayabangan sa mga katalinuhan imbes na magtulungan, mabigay ng halimbawa na ika gaganda ng PILIPINAS. Ano pa pagkakaiba natin sa mga politikong corrupt kung tayo mismo sa thread na to ay walang pagkakaunwaan ano ang pagkakaiba natin sa kanila. Ni walang nagbibigay, nagppataasan ng ihi :ohno: Paano niyo masasabing may mga pinag-aralan tayo, eh dito mismo alang pagkkakaunawaan. :ohno:. Sabagay kaya ang pinas hanggang ngayon kulelat parin baka sa susunod niyan malampasan pa tayo ng Bangladesh dahil sa sobrang talino natin. Matlino nga tayong naturingan ala naman tayong pakialam sa bawat isa ala rin. :ohno:

Filipinos still have respect. If the Philippine national anthem is played, Filipinos stand up. Its a dishonourable not to! Not just that its rude!

Hanggang ngayon di natin alam ang ibig sabihin ng disiplina, unity, patriotism, at maraming iba. Dito nalang sa thread nato kung magpaligsahan kayo ng talino nakakalimutan niyo kung ano dapt nating matutunan sa mga katabi nating bansa. Pero ang lumalabas nagyayabangan sa mga katalinuhan imbes na magtulungan, mabigay ng halimbawa na ika gaganda ng PILIPINAS.

Sadyang marami po ang makikita ninyong "paligsahan" at kakaibang kuro-kuro sa loob ng isang foro, tutal ay foro nga naman ito.

Meroong maiinis, meroong masusuya, meroong magsa-sangayon, at meroon din naman magbabatikos. Hindi na po importante ang "dating" kung hambog man o mapagkumbaba, ang kailangan lang maman ay kung may tunay na nilalaman ang isang palaisipan.

Iba-iba po ang tao, at dahil dito ay iba-iba po ang nagiging pananaw. Ngunit sa aking palagay ay dapat natutuloy ang "dialogue" dahil ganito lamang ang tanging paraan upang mabuo ang isang "concensus" at "iisang tinig". Ito po ay proseso....magulo at nakakapikon sa simula, ngunit kalinawan at pagtutuwid ang panghuling pakay.

Huwag po natin bigyan ng negatibo o masamang kahulugan ang pakikipag-talastasan sa loob ng foro dahil madalas ay dito lamang nailalabas ng marami sa atin ang talagang nasa-loob ng ating isipan, hindi naman po tayo mga kongresista o senador na may oras na nakakapagsalita sa harap ng media at mga gusaling batasan.

Ano pa pagkakaiba natin sa mga politikong corrupt kung tayo mismo sa thread na to ay walang pagkakaunwaan ano ang pagkakaiba natin sa kanila.

Isang malaking pagkakaiba ito sa karaniwang gawain ng mga pulitiko dahil madalas na ang nilalaman ng "away-pulitiko" ay kung sino sa mga "pami-pamilya" na naghaharian ang masusunod. Hindi po ideolohiya, isyu, pamamaraan o pamamalakad.

Sabagay kaya ang pinas hanggang ngayon kulelat parin baka sa susunod niyan malampasan pa tayo ng Bangladesh dahil sa sobrang talino natin. Matlino nga tayong naturingan ala naman tayong pakialam sa bawat isa ala rin. :ohno:

Hindi po ito totoo, dahil nga nagiging "mainit" ang pakikipag-talastasan ay dahil meroong "malasakit" ang isa't-isa upang subukang baguhin o magbigay ng alternatibong pananaw na maaring bumuo ng mas malalim o mas malawakang pagunawa ang magkabilang panig.

Bangladesh malalampasan ang Pilipinas? Alamin natin na hindi nakukuha sa sapat na kahihiyan ang Pilipinas upang siya'y kumilos. Ang sukat ng galing ng isang bansa ay ang abilidad nito upang bumagon muli kahit ilang beses na siya'y kumukulelat at dumadapa sa lugmok at lagim.

Ang materyal ay nawawala o naluluma, ang trahedya ng materyal na pagkawala o pagkukulang ay karaniwang pangyayari. Ngunit ang kawalan ng esprituwal na lakas bilang isang nasyon upang makipag-sapalaran ay walang kalunasan dahil tanging itong uri ng espirituwalismo lamang ang nagbibigay ng sapat na lakas at motibo sa muling pagbangon ng isang bansa upang lumikha ng mas makabago at mas matatag na kaayusan.

____________________________________________________________

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-7/1343250/philippines-71-01.jpg
A NATION IS GREAT WHEN IT TRANSLATES INTO REALITY THE FORCE OF THE SPIRIT!

Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and the likes will surpass The Philippines in terms of economy and development if Filipinos do nothing to improve their fatherland.

Do you think Israel would've accomplished all these things or better yet even exist as a nation if it weren't owned by Lord Amschel Rotschild himself, the guy who can simply print money without batting an eyelash. :cheers: They also receive billions in grant in aid and military assistance from the US every year.

From a Filipino nationalist standpoint, it would be better for us to cultivate an Israeli-Philippine partnership. The Philippine position is crystal clear...we are a secular republic with an eternal islamic separatist problem which will not go away regardless of how wealthy or industrialized the Philippines may become.

Of all the countries in southeast asia, it seems only Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines can truly be friendly with Israel. We might as well make it work to our advantage.

Assuming it exists, there is no defeating the Jewish hold on global finance, so why fight it? There is the added bonus of transfers in military expertise, advanced agricultural technologies and in the harnessing of alternative energy sources.

The jews are one group of people who don't waste too much time pitying themselves, plus they have proven as a race to do extremely well even when they didn't have a homeland to speak of, or no matter how much european society have sought to exclude or annihilate them through the centuries.

http://www.costasespagne.com/Benidorm_Costa_Blanca.jpg
Costa blanca spain
http://location-empuria.com/images/Empuriabrava.jpg
Empuria brava
http://www.dolphinworld.org/stories/images/cruise-ship-excursions.jpg
Modern cruises

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With regards Thailand vs Phillipines i think that infrastructure also plays a role , just how many beautiful beaches , islands are there in the Phillipines with world class resort infrastructures on them ? , they need to get rid of small shacks and shanty type conditions in some of these places , the recent investments on airports and rail etc are a good start as tourism requires efficient means of travel .

But imagine other types of infrastructures such as marina's for yachting and sailing , sports and adventure , and modern cruiseships for island hopping cruises , this last category in particular i think is something the Phillipines should develop and become one of the island hopping cruise capital of the Asia Pacific region .

I think that as an example the Phillipines should take a second look at the way Carribean and Mediterranean countries have developed their tourism industry , the Phillipine plans to promote entertainment like that planned thing in Manila is also a good idea .

But yes i also understand that it would take alot of money that perhaps isn't as readily available in the Phillipines , but that's something foreign investment / resort chains and developers can help with if the government can entice them , until then the Phillipines will have lots of gorgeous and spectacular locations which could be attracting millions of tourists worldwide lying idle and unproductive .

There is some truth to the popularized "if you build it they will come" ... .

The Virtues of Deglobalization: Has the time finally come to reverse and end globalization?


Written by Walden Bello / Special to the BusinessMirror
Thursday, 10 September 2009 20:50

THE current global downturn, the worst since the Great Depression 70 years ago, pounded the last nail into the coffin of globalization. Already beleaguered by evidence that showed global poverty and inequality increasing even as most poor countries experienced little or no economic growth, globalization has been terminally discredited in the last two years as the much-heralded process of financial and trade interdependence went into reverse and became the transmission belt not of prosperity but of economic crisis and collapse.

End of an era

In their responses to the current economic crisis, governments paid lip service to global coordination but propelled separate stimulus programs meant to rev up national markets. In so doing, governments quietly shelved export-oriented growth, long the driver of many economies, though paid the usual nostrums to advancing trade liberalization as a means of countering the global downturn by completing the Doha Round of trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization. There is an increasing acknowledgment that there will be no returning to a world centrally dependent on free-spending American consumers, since the latter are bankrupt and nobody has taken their place.

Moreover, whether agreed on internationally or unilaterally set up by national governments, a whole raft of restrictions will almost certainly be imposed on finance capital, the untrammeled mobility of which has been the cutting edge of the current crisis.

Intellectual discourse, however, has not yet shown many signs of a break with orthodoxy. Neoliberalism, with its emphasis on free trade, the primacy of private enterprise and a minimalist role for the state, continues to be the default language among policymakers. The establishment critics of market fundamentalism, including luminaries such as Nobel Prize winners Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman, have become entangled in endless debates over how large the stimulus programs should be and whether the state should retain its interventionist presence in the auto industry and finance or, once stabilized, return the companies and banks to the private sector. Moreover, some, such as Stiglitz, continue to believe in what they perceive to be the economic benefits of globalization while bemoaning its social costs.

But trends are fast outpacing both the ideologues of neoliberal globalization and many of their critics, and developments thought impossible a few years ago are gaining steam. “The integration of the world economy is in retreat on almost every front,” writes the Economist. While the magazine says that corporations continue to believe in the efficiency of global supply chains, “like any chain, these are only as strong as their weakest link. A danger point will come if firms decide that this way of organizing production has had its day.”

“Deglobalization,” a term that the Economist attributes to me, is a development that the magazine, the world’s prime avatar of free-market ideology, views as negative. I believe, however, that deglobalization is an opportunity. Indeed, my colleagues and I at Focus on the Global South first forwarded deglobalization as a comprehensive paradigm to replace neoliberal globalization almost a decade ago, when the stresses, strains and contradictions brought about by the latter had become painfully evident. Elaborated as an alternative mainly for developing countries, the deglobalization paradigm is not without relevance to the central capitalist economies.

11 pillars of the alternative

There are 11 key prongs of the deglobalization paradigm.

1. Production for the domestic market must again become the center of gravity of the economy rather than production for export markets.

2. The principle of subsidiarity should be enshrined in economic life by encouraging production of goods at the level of the community and at the national level, if this can be done at reasonable cost, in order to preserve community.

3. Trade policy—that is, quotas and tariffs—should be used to protect the local economy from destruction by corporate-subsidized commodities with artificially low prices.

4. Industrial policy—including subsidies, tariffs and trade—should be used to revitalize and strengthen the manufacturing sector.

5. Long-postponed measures of equitable income redistribution and land redistribution (including urban land reform) can create a vibrant internal market that would serve as the anchor of the economy and produce local financial resources for investment.

6. Deemphasizing growth, emphasizing upgrading the quality of life, and maximizing equity will reduce environmental disequilibrium.

7. The development and diffusion of environmentally congenial technology in both agriculture and industry should be encouraged.

8. Strategic economic decisions cannot be left to the market or to technocrats. Instead, the scope of democratic decision-making in the economy should be expanded so that all vital questions—such as which industries to develop or phase out, what proportion of the government budget to devote to agriculture, etc.—become subject to democratic discussion and choice.

9. Civil society must constantly monitor and supervise the private sector and the state, a process that should be institutionalized.

10. The property complex should be transformed into a “mixed economy” that includes community cooperatives, private enterprises and state enterprises, and excludes transnational corporations.

11. Centralized global institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank should be replaced with regional institutions built not on free trade and capital mobility but on principles of cooperation that, to use the words of Hugo Chavez in describing the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, “transcend the logic of capitalism.”

From the cult of efficiency to effective economics

The aim of the deglobalization paradigm is to move beyond the economics of narrow efficiency, in which the key criterion is the reduction of unit cost, never mind the social and ecological destabilization this process brings about. It is to move beyond a system of economic calculation that, in the words of John Maynard Keynes, made “the whole conduct of life…into a paradox of an accountant’s nightmare.” An effective economics, rather, strengthens social solidarity by subordinating the operations of the market to the values of equity, justice and community by enlarging the sphere of democratic decision-making. To use the language of the great Hungarian thinker Karl Polanyi in his book The Great Transformation, deglobalization is about “reembedding” the economy in society, instead of having society driven by the economy.

The deglobalization paradigm also asserts that a one-size-fits-all model like neoliberalism or centralized bureaucratic socialism is dysfunctional and destabilizing. Instead, diversity should be expected and encouraged, as it is in nature. Shared principles of alternative economics do exist, and they have already substantially emerged in the struggle against and critical reflection over the failure of both centralized socialism and capitalism. However, how these principles—the most important of which have been sketched out above—are concretely articulated will depend on the values, rhythms and strategic choices of each society.

Deglobalization’s pedigree

Though it may sound radical, deglobalization is not really new. Its pedigree includes the writings of the towering British economist Keynes, who, at the height of the Depression, bluntly stated: “We do not wish…to be at the mercy of world forces working out, or trying to work out, some uniform equilibrium, according to the principles of laissez faire capitalism.” Indeed, he continued, over “an increasingly wide range of industrial products, and perhaps agricultural products also, I become doubtful whether the economic cost of self-sufficiency is great enough to outweigh the other advantages of gradually bringing the producer and the consumer within the ambit of the same national, economic and financial organization. Experience accumulates to prove that most modern mass-production processes can be performed in most countries and climates with almost equal efficiency.”

And with words that have a very contemporary ring, Keynes concluded, “I sympathize…with those who would minimize rather than with those who would maximize economic entanglement between nations. Ideas, knowledge, art, hospitality, travel—these are the things which should, of their nature, be international. But let goods be homespun whenever it is reasonably and conveniently possible; and, above all, let finance be primarily national.”

*Foreign Policy in Focus columnist Walden Bello represents the party-list Akbayan in the Philippines’ House of Representatives, heads the Freedom from Debt Coalition, and serves as senior analyst at the Bangkok-based research and advocacy institute Focus on the Global South. The author of Deglobalization: Ideas for a New World Economy and 14 other books, he can be contacted at waldenbello@yahoo.


You cannot stop globalization. Walden Bello is misquoting Keynes here. Countries should capitalize upon their competitive advantages. Trade has a multiplier effect on wealth.

There are a lot of great and idealistic ideas in Bello's writing, but the truth is that they are just that, idealistic. How would you put into effect programs that "de-emphasize growth, emphasize the quality of life, and maximize equity". Wasn't that the aim of the communist revolution that happened half a century ago?

Too many inaccuracies to point out, but I'll comment on one. By imposing quotas and tariffs to make "domestic markets" more competitive, it would only raise the prices of the consumer products. Whereas before you had the cheapest electronic products coming in from China and Vietnam, now you have to buy domestic products that have higher production costs whose efficiencies will not improve because of a lack of international competition. The only winners in this situation are the producers, the consumers lose out in the end.

Let's not forget the contribution that the BPO industry has had for the country. The best way for the Philippines to up its GDP growth would be to increase its ease of doing business, create more transparency to stymie corruption, address infrastructure inadequacies, etc.

You cannot stop globalization. Walden Bello is misquoting Keynes here. Countries should capitalize upon their competitive advantages. Trade has a multiplier effect on wealth.

There are a lot of great and idealistic ideas in Bello's writing, but the truth is that they are just that, idealistic. How would you put into effect programs that "de-emphasize growth, emphasize the quality of life, and maximize equity". Wasn't that the aim of the communist revolution that happened half a century ago?

Too many inaccuracies to point out, but I'll comment on one. By imposing quotas and tariffs to make "domestic markets" more competitive, it would only raise the prices of the consumer products. Whereas before you had the cheapest electronic products coming in from China and Vietnam, now you have to buy domestic products that have higher production costs whose efficiencies will not improve because of a lack of international competition. The only winners in this situation are the producers, the consumers lose out in the end.

Let's not forget the contribution that the BPO industry has had for the country. The best way for the Philippines to up its GDP growth would be to increase its ease of doing business, create more transparency to stymie corruption, address infrastructure inadequacies, etc.

The BPO is largely as service industry, yes by all means we should follow the path already set in that direction. But with regards to manufacturing industries, I don't think it is best to surrender that entirely to China and Vietnam. A balance should be maintained and a steady (even if slow) development of a Philippine industrial base would be in the best interests.

Of course all governments still put their weight with regards to trade and competition. The objective of businesses after all is to defeat competitors, even when the principle of "competition" itself is left open.

If we give up our own industrialization, then we are not really offering competition, we are in fact encouraging the eventual lowering of imported quality maufactures. We want to be active participants in the global economy, not just zombies who will buy on the basis of "cheap".

There are also psychological factors to consider, even just one or two viable Filipino brands goes a long way in the uplifment of local morale which no one can really put a price tag on.

Maybe Globalization is inevitable, but a free market no more exists than a marxist utopia. Also, globalization is not something like an "all conquering" juggernaut destined to change the face of the earth. It's just another way of doing business that can be adopted in varying degrees. Globalization offers flexibility, it's not some kind of "revolution".

And like everything else, it can destroy as much as build, it demands a sacrifice...a price to pay. Nothing in this world is for free.

Globalization is essentially neutral, it's like a car. It can give you a great advantage and convenience if you know how to drive it, likewise it can be your coffin if you don't. How globalization can work best for us depends on our ability to be its MASTER, rather than our being a slave to it.

The BPO is largely as service industry, yes by all means we should follow the path already set in that direction. But with regards to manufacturing industries, I don't think it is best to surrender that entirely to China and Vietnam. A balance should be maintained and a steady (even if slow) development of a Philippine industrial base would be in the best interests.

Of course all governments still put their weight with regards to trade and competition. The objective of businesses after all is to defeat competitors, even when the principle of "competition" itself is left open.

Maybe Globalization is inevitable, but a free market no more exists than a marxist utopia. Also, globalization is not something like an "all conquering" juggernaut destined to change the face of the earth. It's just another way of doing business that can be adopted in varying degrees. Globalization offers flexibility, it's not some kind of "revolution".

And like everything else, it can destroy as much as build, it demands a sacrifice...a price to pay. Nothing in this world is for free.

Globalization is essentially neutral, it's like a car. It can give you a great advantage and convenience if you know how to drive it, likewise it can be your coffin if you don't. How globalization can work best for us depends on our ability to be its MASTER, rather than our being a slave to it.

Services, manufacturing... the article doesn't specify, its thesis is around the concept of de-globalizing all consumer goods (services, manufacturing, etc).

Economists never agree on any one thing, so I believe it's healthy to debate these kinds of issues. I guess I fall under the Ricardian school of thought that nations that capitalize upon their comparative and absolute advantages are the ones that achieve prosperity and wealth.

China would never have achieved a near double digit growth rate for two decades without utilizing its biggest asset: low cost labor. And this goes against rule #1 of Walden's 11 pillars of deglobalization. It would not have achieved one-fifth of that growth had it sought to pursue production for the domestic market. Only by exporting to nations that could purchase their products were they able to do so. China wins by exporting their goods to the United States. The United States wins because its population can now purchase cheaper products.

I'm a big proponent of free trade. Look what it's done for Latin American and Asian countries. Job losses to domestic markets may occur when free trade takes root in a country, but it's all a part of the cycle of creative destruction. Those resources will now have the opportunity to be shifted into something more productive. Detroit is a perfect example. The automotive industry should either be forced to innovate, compete through prices, or have some other value-added component in order to compete in the market. The government should not waste its resources on something that the market itself will correct.

Agree!!:cheers:


Tried and tested path to development


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:29:00 09/17/2009

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance, Agriculture, Population

I have long known Dr. Bernardo Villegas as an advocate of economic development via agriculture modernization, but I find his arguments in the article “How did we get to where we are?” less than convincing. (Inquirer, 9/12/09)

Doctor Villegas downplays the negative impact of rapid population growth on economic development, saying that a sizable population provides an abundant supply of labor and consumer demand. But I don’t see how an ill-fed and ill-educated populace can be much of a workforce, never mind a market (except maybe for more instant noodles and telenovelas). He also emphasizes the economic benefits of a young population (i.e., demographic dividend), but this is a double-edged sword at best. According to a recent UP study, a very young population such as ours can wreak havoc on a country’s savings rate that it cancels out the demographic dividend.

His contention that our stunted economy stemmed from the industrialization initiatives since the 1950s strikes me as a bit strange and rather sweeping. I thought the two decades following the war were the halcyon days when we were “second only to Japan in Asia.”

He cites the case of Thailand, which has supposedly raced past ahead of us because of its focus on agriculture. It might interest Villegas to know that the Philippines actually has higher rice productivity per hectare than Thailand, but our bigger population, coupled with a smaller arable land per capita, makes us a rice importer while the Thais are an exporter. More important, his citation of the Thai experience is particularly narrow. How does he explain the spectacular success of the Asian tigers, not to mention Japan and the rest of the industrialized world?

I am ready to agree with Villegas that industrialization is not a miracle cure (perhaps, there isn’t one). Marcos’ failed industrialization drive, after all, resulted in a huge debt burden which we still carry to this day. But equally disastrous is the absence of effort—the energy crisis toward the end of Aquino’s term has left us a legacy of high energy costs.

On balance, I think world experience over the past 150 years or so has consistently pointed to industrialization as a tried and tested path toward economic development.

—ARIEL PANFILO, 35 Manga St.,
Barangay Katipunan, Quezon City

$5B ’ideal’ level for F.D.I. in R.P.


Written by Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter
Friday, 18 September 2009 04:12
Business Mirror

IT would take $5 billion a year to rid the country of the jobless, but for the Philippines to attract investment of such scale, it must first get rid of corruption, particularly in procurement and in customs, according to a government economist.

Director Dennis Arroyo, director of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) National Planning and Policy Staff, said that is his personal estimate of the needed foreign direct investment (FDI). “For me, $5 billion or more would be
better.”

He was at the launch of the World Investment Report 2009 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) in Pasig City on Thursday, where he also said that several factors need to be promptly addressed, among them “red tape” that slows down the doing of business.

International Finance Corp. (IFC) president Jesse Ang said this issue is also included in the findings of the 2010 Doing Business Report. He said that to be able to open a business in the Philippines, a company needs to undertake 48 steps within a period of a month.

The IFC is working with local government units to set up better business-registration procedures, starting with an automated business-registration process, which Arroyo noted would deal with another bar to progress—corruption—“particularly in the procurement process and in the customs procedures.”

Arroyo said automating processes will minimize face-to-face interactions between those in business and the agencies involved, such as in the procurement process when the so-called e-procurement system is installed.

There is also a need to deal with the infrastructure backlog so the country can catch up with its Asian neighbors. He said this is what government intends to resolve with the P100-billion infrastructure fund expected to be spent next year.

The infrastructure fund is a private-public partnership. Around P50 billion will be invested by the government and the other half by the private sector.

The World Investment Report 2009 said global FDI flows fell 14 percent in 2008 to $1.7 trillion and is expected to drop to below $1.2 trillion this year due to the worldwide financial crisis.

For 2010 and 2011, the report expected a recovery but a slower one. In 2010, the FDI level is seen to increase gradually to $1.4 trillion and inch up to $1.8 trillion in 2011.

The crisis has also caused a shift in global FDI outlook. The report said the United States remained the largest recipient country followed by France. Other large recipients are China, a developing country, and the Russian Federation, a transition economy. “The entry of the Russian Federation and the return of China to the list of top-5 recipients are symbolic of the changing FDI landscape of 2008.”

In the Philippines, the FDI flows declined to $1.52 billion in 2008 from $2.92 billion in 2007. FDI stocks, on the other hand, increased to $21.47 billion in 2008 from $19.95 billion in 2007.

FDI inflows to developed economies fell by 29 percent to $962 billion in 2008 and to developing economies rose 17 percent to $621 billion. South Asia, East Asia, South-East Asia, and Oceania accounted for roughly half of these flows with $298 billion, a 17-percent increase and a new high.

West Asia FDI flows was up 16 percent to $90 billion. Africa recorded the largest percentage increase at 27 percent, rising to a record $88 billion. Inflows to Latin America and the Caribbean continued to grow up to 13 percent hitting $144 billion.

The least developed countries attracted a record $33 billion worth of inward FDI in 2008. The transition economies of South-East Europe posted a new high of inflows reaching $114 billion, a 26 percent increase.

If this pushes through this will be another setback for our auto industry. Its exactly what I anticipated happening a few years back due to developments in Thailand and their unfair trade tactics to compel Ford to move production in their home turf. :ohno:

Production of the Ford Focus and Mazda 3 in the ASEAN region may shift from the Philippines to Thailand following a $500 million factory expansion by
Auto Alliance Thailand, according to well-placed sources.

The two compact cars would become the third pair of Ford/Mazda-related products to be made at the Thai plant. The other models made are the Ranger/BT-50 light trucks and the pending Fiesta/2 subcompacts, whose assembly start at the end of this year.

AAT, a 50/50 joint venture between Ford and Mazda, has more advanced facilities than the factory in the Philippines; one source said that it is only logical to move production of the cars to Thailand now that there is more assembly space. (Assembly space ? as if there were no more room to expand in Laguna, gimme a break)

Although the current 3 has already expired in most world markets and has been replaced with a second-generation model, sales of it here are likely to continue for another year.

As soon as Mazda ASEAN is ready to sell the new 3, its assembly could take place in Thailand, according to the source. A year later, in 2011, Ford would be gearing up to launch the third-generation Focus which, like the 3, will be sold in both sedan and hatchback forms.

In the past two years, passenger cars have suffered a smaller slump in sales than pickup trucks in Thailand, mainly because smaller vehicles have better fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, the country is experiencing a shift in motorization, in which many people are turning to cars instead of pickups or motorcycles.

The AAT factory’s production capacity will increase to 275,000 units per year from 175,000, primarily serving export markets. The total investment of AAT is now worth $1.5 billion.

Source:
Edmunds.com

Old news that I read but will give you a glimpse as to the real reason why Ford is planning to move production overseas instead of exporting to Thailand and other ASEAN countries.

Ford considers RP hub expansion, cites concerns
10/21/07
Posted under Ford, Road Transport, Transport

By Ronnel Domingo
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Ford Motor Co., whose officials have expressed continued optimism in the Philippines, could expand its production facility here by up to seven times if local economic growth continued and regional integration opened up more markets in Southeast Asia.

Liam Benham, Ford’s vice president for governmental affairs in Asia-Pacific and Africa, said the company was continually looking at expansion opportunities in the country although there were no short-term plans so far.

“Ideally, a facility should be producing 100,000 units to 200,000 units yearly,” Benham said.

“This is a possible future for [our Philippine operations] as the ASEAN market is still largely untapped, but we have to make a competitive situation to make that a feasible reality,” he added.

Ford’s facility in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, has the capacity to turn out some 31,000 units of vehicles yearly, but it is only producing barely half of that.

Benham was part of a business mission sent by the US-ASEAN Business Council. It was here on a three-day visit that wrapped up Friday.

The Bangkok-based official said the business mission met with various executive officials, including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and business-related bodies such as the National Competitiveness Council.

“It is heartening to hear that there are deeply-rooted efforts to make the country more competitive,” Benham said. “It is more so when one considers that Ford enjoys (some conveniences here) that are unparalleled in ASEAN.”

However, he said that amid continued optimism, the need to address hurdles to growth and expansion remained urgent.

He said two of the greatest concerns among investors in the Philippines were the problems of smuggling and high cost of power.

Further, Benham said the strict implementation of the ban on the importation of used vehicles was needed as this was the biggest barrier to the expansion of the domestic vehicle market.

Benham said Ford was also anticipating the opening up of markets in the region with the realization of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Community.

“Non-tariff barriers in Malaysia and the tax system in Thailand are currently discouraging Ford from exporting more vehicles to these countries,” he said.

Benham echoed US-ABC president Matthew P. Daley, who expressed hope that “economic integration, in tangible and practicable ways, could be accelerated.”

“We are fully committed to the Philippines, which is a very key hub for Ford in the Asian region,” Benham said.

“We export not only to ASEAN but to farther regions as well. We have started shipping out flex-fuel engines to as far as South Africa, which is 12 hours by plane,” he added.

Tried and tested path to development
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:29:00 09/17/2009

His contention that our stunted economy stemmed from the industrialization initiatives since the 1950s strikes me as a bit strange and rather sweeping. I thought the two decades following the war were the halcyon days when we were “second only to Japan in Asia.”This fellow misunderstood Dr. Villegas. Actually, what Dr. Villegas was pointing out was that the Philippines focused solely in import-substitution industrialization (ISI) unlike other countries in Asia, which focused on export-led growth. At the start this was effective. Of course, it will be effective because it will serve the domestic market first, but once it reaches the saturation point, production would become stagnant. We also started out very well because we started from a low base. Remember, we were rebuilding from scratch brought by WWII. The government used the funds from reparations and rehabilitation of Japan and the US to build these industries. Also, at that time, politicians focused mainly on industrialization in expense of agriculture. It should have been a simultaneous approach because even if we have the workers to work in the factories, there would be less food for them. And true indeed, we faced a double-whammy. We grew moderately because of industrialization but it became stagnant. Worse, the agriculture sector, which was supposed to be a driver for growth also became stagnant because government then ignored it. Initially, Marcos focused on it by building irrigation, schools, roads, and infrastructure for industrialization via ecozones. All of these were funded by foreign debts. And when payback time came, we defaulted. And after that, we only paid for debts for decades without funds to build infrastructures.

Well what happened? Because government focused too much on ISI unlike its Asian neighbors, growth became stagnant. Also, the biggest contributor to the demise was Crony Capitalism. Dr. Villegas failed to discuss this one. Basically, all of our incurred debts are caused by unprofitable local enterprises that were supposed to be drivers of industrialization. Everything, most esp telecommunications, mining, agriculture, airlines, manufacturing, textiles, etc. that were handled by Marcos cronies have incurred big (as in big running in the millions of $$$) losses because of inefficiency and incompetence. And remember, since these enterprises were funded by foreign debt while they incurred losses, obviously they failed to pay the government, which gave them the guarantees and protection. In the end, we all paid for that until now. ISI basically gave them protection from government from competition by way of tariffs, and they are also funded by government from foreign loans, with government guarantees. It was a disaster. The funds were pocketed by Marcos' cronies and the enterprises they managed failed miserably. :no::ohno:

Other countries in Asia at that time also started with ISO. Japan protected its local enterprise by building its zaibatsus and keiretsus and Korea used its chaebols. This was supposed to be followed by Marcos by having his own cronies. But they're too greedy and well entrenched in goernment! Also, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have opened up their economies after they have been successful establishing their local industries or what we call export-oriented growth, thus providing competition to their local industries that made them efficient and world class. In the Philippines, we remained closed and protected. We only produced for local consumption. The government decided to open up only in the late 70's and in the 80's but only via ecozones. The rest of the country was still closed. But It's too late. Since then, we lost to other Asian countries which also opened up like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and China. And since we were incurring deficits because of the failure of Marcos' cronies and continued importation for these enterprises, we defaulted from paying debts. The result? Financial crisis when the rest of Asia was growing. Then, Aquino was assassinated. That's the perfect recipe for a revolution. And the rest was history.

Oo nga pala, we were the second largest economy in the far east in the 50's, but we are not the second richest in terms of GDP per capita. Also, that statement is misleading because we were one of the first countries in Asia to become independent (1946). At that time, the rest of SEA was still under its colonizers. So basically, wala talaga tayong kakumpitensiya kasi hindi pa naman malaya yung ibang bansa sa Asya. China and Taiwan had a civil war; Indochina was under the French; Malaysia Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore under the British; and Indonesia was under the Dutch. We were supposed to have the advantage of being the first to be politically free, but apparently we didn't use it.

He cites the case of Thailand, which has supposedly raced past ahead of us because of its focus on agriculture. It might interest Villegas to know that the Philippines actually has higher rice productivity per hectare than Thailand, but our bigger population, coupled with a smaller arable land per capita, makes us a rice importer while the Thais are an exporter. More important, his citation of the Thai experience is particularly narrow. How does he explain the spectacular success of the Asian tigers, not to mention Japan and the rest of the industrialized worldThis is actually right. Thailand has an advantage because it has a very big land area and it also have the Mekong River which could irrigate the land all year round, unlike here where there are mountains everywhere and we rely only on rainwater.

I am ready to agree with Villegas that industrialization is not a miracle cure (perhaps, there isn’t one). Marcos’ failed industrialization drive, after all, resulted in a huge debt burden which we still carry to this day. But equally disastrous is the absence of effort—the energy crisis toward the end of Aquino’s term has left us a legacy of high energy costs.I have the same thoughts as ARIEL PANFILO. I just stated it above. But the difference is, he failed to differentiate import-substitution industrialization (ISO) and export-led growth (ELG). HE said industrialization is good, but failed to discuss the type of industrialization that was good for the country.

Complicated issue but better governance and institution building would be more important than reforming the number of political parties , improving tax collection too .

....


Very well said le Reine, crony capitalism did us in which even up to now is trying to make a resurgence.

Sorry i have to remove all quotes, it's a bit long, they can just read it back at the top. :lol:

Very well said le Reine, crony capitalism did us in which even up to now is trying to make a resurgence.

Sorry i have to remove all quotes, it's a bit long, they can just read it back at the top. :lol:Ahaha... thanks.

They are making a resurgence alright. When I see Marcos cronies still making big bucks, all I could say: kapal ng mukha!

Also, we are seeing bad government interventions in business affairs. See what happened to Yuchengco when he was supposedly arm twisted to sell his shares to MVP. My oh my... Earp's BW shares scandal and now GMA having stocks in the PSE? :ohno:

Complicated issue but better governance and institution building would be more important than reforming the number of political parties , improving tax collection too .It is indeed complicated. Although I agree with what you said, there is certain premise that I have to refute. It's the premise that if we have those, our country would succeed, or if we don't have those, then we will fail. But as what Dr. Villegas has said in his article, other countries in Asia also have bad governance issues, corruption, instability. In fact, they are notorious for corruption. But why were they still better off? It's because despite those deficiencies, they could still unite in issues that are good for their country. And when they enact policies, they're consistent. Meaning, when new government takes over, rules don't change. That's not true in our country.

Philippines is host of the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity
Posted on September 20th, 2009 under The Good Balita
http://goodnewspilipinas.com/?p=8428

By Gloria Jane Baylon
ASEAN Center for Biodiversity

The Philippines is officially the host of the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity headquarters.

The ACB, with funding support from the European Union (EU) and officially launched at the 9th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in 2005, is an intergovernmental regional center tasked to facilitate cooperation and coordination among ASEAN Member States and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, or biodiversity.

ACB works with ASEAN Member States in ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of biodiversity.

The Senate concurrence follows the entry into force of the ACB Establishment Agreement by six ASEAN Member States (Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Viet Nam), completing the process to enable ACB to become a full-fledged international organization.

ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes said the Senate’s concurrence of the Host Country Agreement and the ratification by the ASEAN Member States of the Establishment Agreement would now further strengthen ASEAN’s resolve to save and conserve the region’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity.

Delivering and facilitating conduct of capacity-building services and technology transfer through engaging relevant and appropriate expertise; enhancing common understanding of biodiversity conservation issues; strengthening ASEAN regional positions in negotiations and in compliance with relevant multilateral environmental agreements; promoting regional public awareness to develop champions and enhance support at different stakeholder levels on biodiversity concerns; and undertaking innovative resource generation and mobilization measures to pursue impact activities that will enhance biodiversity conservation in the region,” Fuentes explained.

The Senate resolution was sponsored by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, with Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Loren Legarda as co-sponsors.

In her sponsorship speech, Santiago said the Senate concurrence with the ratification of the Host Country Agreement contributes to the sustainability of ACB’s operations as an international organization.

“Sustainability for ACB means more benefits for the Philippines and other ASEAN Member States through the Center’s policy coordination and capacity building services, biodiversity knowledge products, and best practices needed to implement the country’s national biodiversity strategy and action plan,” Santiago said.

She added that the Senate action is an important contribution of the Philippines in promoting unity and collaboration among ASEAN Member States and in helping realize the ASEAN Community 2020 target.

“This is also a timely contribution of the Philippines to the global observance of the International Year of Biodiversity 2010. More importantly, the ratification of the Host Country Agreement once again establishes the primacy and leading role of the Philippines and our people, in spearheading through our own experience, practice and knowledge, the most important challenge faced by our generation today, the survival of our planet and its environment,” Santiago emphasized.

In his co-sponsorship speech, Zubiri said majority of the Filipinos and other ASEAN peoples depend upon the region’s rich biodiversity for their daily needs such as food, medicine, shelter, clean water, and a host of ecosystem services.

“The Philippines and all other ASEAN Member States stand to lose a great deal if the battle against unprecedented biodiversity loss is not won,” Zubiri stressed.

As co-sponsor, Legarda said ACB’s recognition as an international organization will enable it to continue its role as a major partner of the Philippines and other ASEAN Member States in conserving biodiversity and in complying with the country’s commitments to various multilateral environment agreements.

Legarda explained that climate change can cause a two to three-degree Celsius rise in global temperature, which may lead to a three-percent decline in the global gross domestic product and a 30-percent risk of extinction of Philippine biodiversity in 50 years to 100 years.

“Biodiversity protection would reduce this risk,” she said. She added that protecting biodiversity would leave a legacy to future generations. She also called for the ACB to financially and technically assist the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) to preserve the region’s wide variety of coral species and fish.

The Coral Triangle supports the largest tuna fisheries in the world, which generates billions of dollars in global income every year. Its healthy reef systems buffer coastal communities from cyclones and tsunamis.

ACB started as the ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC) Project, a joint undertaking of the Philippines, ASEAN, and the European Union from 1999 to 2004. ARCBC was co-managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and was acknowledged as the first regional initiative that critically addressed the Philippines’ and ASEAN’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity.

Recognizing the need to sustain the momentum made by the project and responding to the call for a permanent regional institution that would reinforce national conservation efforts, the ASEAN Member States agreed to establish the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity in 2005. The Philippines won the bid to host the new ASEAN regional center of excellence and was the first country to ratify ACB’s Establishment Agreement.

The decision of ASEAN to institutionalize the ACB was lauded by many international and multilateral bodies, led by the European Union, prompting them to commit resources that will pave the way for the complete establishment of ACB as a regional intergovernmental institution.

(Story courtesy of PNA Feature)

Lessons from recession

By SENATOR MANNY VILLAR
September 22, 2009, 6:06pm
Manila Bulletin


The global recession is subsiding, and recovery is on the horizon.

Even if this observation by economic observers is true, it should not be an invitation to complacency. That the collapse of the world economy has been averted through a number of interventions by the leaders of the stronger economics does not mean that things are back to normal.

The worldwide financial turbulence has definitely altered the global economic landscape. As old familiar models failed, new approaches should be explored.

We certainly hope that the economic crisis that adversely affected so many countries will not happen again.

Prudence suggests that we should learn from the experiences of those who have suffered most and draw valuable lessons from others who have fared well. There is need to design our own roadmap.

What should be the premises of a new strategy of our economic development?

An export-driven economic policy needs a comprehensive review.

We cannot be too dependent on the dynamics of world trade. A sudden weakening in the economies of traditional trading partners directly imperils our export sector. A drastic drop in demand for our exports translates to high inventories, production slowdowns and retrenchment.

A most logical response is to give greater focus on stimulating domestic demand. Our present population level of 90 million should be a good consumer base.

To increase the level of consumption spending, there is a need to improve the disposable income of a large majority of Filipinos. This means sustained job creation and the expansion of income-generating opportunities.

Here is where the active promotion of the development of small business enterprises becomes an urgent priority concern not only of government at every level but also of all stakeholders.

We must develop more entrepreneurs until a point of critical mass is reached when entrepreneurism becomes part of our national culture.

Entrepreneurism is more than running an enterprise. It is more than putting together the nuts and bolts of any business regardless of nature and size. It is essentially a creative spirit in action. It is a sense of self-reliance. It is seeing an opportunity to make something positive out of any challenge.:cheers:

If we really look inward, we shall find the strength and the resolve to move forward.

There is a vast reservoir of human energy waiting to be tapped.

From time to time, it is very heartwarming to read some news about little good things that some Pinoy do.

Awareness and proper education is really one of the key in improving our status. After all, our government is a government by the people.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Bullet-ridden eagle found in Agusan Sur

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—A bullet-ridden Philippine Eagle was found in Trento town, Agusan Del Sur early this week, a conservation group said on Thursday.

Richard Bautista, communication officer of Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), said the badly injured endangered Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyii) was discovered by farmer Nenito Tabana in Pangan village on September 21.

Tabana, he said, immediately endorsed the eagle to Trento Mayor Irenea Hitgano, who turned it over to the staff of PEF who arrived the following day.

Bautista said the initial assessment was that the eagle has a “slim chance of survival” but the team of veterinary experts at the PEF conservation and rehabilitation center in Malagos district here are not about to give up.

The gender of the eagle has yet to be known; it is also believed to be around 9 years old.

An x-ray examination revealed that the eagle now named as Pangyan (derived from the village) has two gun pellets embedded inside its body, an inch deep from the shoulders.

Bautista said its two legs were also badly fractured and it is still unable to open its right eye.

When it was endorsed to the foundation, Bautista said the eagle’s legs were wrapped with electrical tape plastered on some leaves.

He said it meant that there was attempt to cure it.

“When we retrieved the eagle, it was passive, which means that it had been in contact with humans for some time already. Normally these wild birds are aggressive,” Bautista said.

He said the team of scientists working on the treatment also believes that the bird has a mate.

As to who may have shot the bird and caused its injury, the PEF and DENR authorities are still investigating, Bautista said.

Under Republic Act (RA) 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, persons harming Philippine Eagles could be imprisoned for 12 years.

The Philippine Eagle is an endangered species.

http://www.costasespagne.com/Benidorm_Costa_Blanca.jpg
Costa blanca spain
http://location-empuria.com/images/Empuriabrava.jpg
Empuria brava
http://www.dolphinworld.org/stories/images/cruise-ship-excursions.jpg
Modern cruises

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With regards Thailand vs Phillipines i think that infrastructure also plays a role , just how many beautiful beaches , islands are there in the Phillipines with world class resort infrastructures on them ? , they need to get rid of small shacks and shanty type conditions in some of these places , the recent investments on airports and rail etc are a good start as tourism requires efficient means of travel .

But imagine other types of infrastructures such as marina's for yachting and sailing , sports and adventure , and modern cruiseships for island hopping cruises , this last category in particular i think is something the Phillipines should develop and become one of the island hopping cruise capital of the Asia Pacific region .

I think that as an example the Phillipines should take a second look at the way Carribean and Mediterranean countries have developed their tourism industry , the Phillipine plans to promote entertainment like that planned thing in Manila is also a good idea .

But yes i also understand that it would take alot of money that perhaps isn't as readily available in the Phillipines , but that's something foreign investment / resort chains and developers can help with if the government can entice them , until then the Phillipines will have lots of gorgeous and spectacular locations which could be attracting millions of tourists worldwide lying idle and unproductive .

There is some truth to the popularized "if you build it they will come" ... .

For me, there is no reason why Philippines should imitate similar levels of tourist industry development in the same way with the Caribbean countries, Mediterranean and even neighboring countries in the SEA that are simply cosmetic enhancements to prop up their values. I would rather have the country promote ecological tourism instead by giving emphasis on preservation and appreciation of country's natural wonders.

Manufacturing prospects


Written by Adam Jones
OBG Editorial Manager
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:12
Business Mirror

Industrial manufacturing in the Philippines remains underdeveloped when compared to its regional neighbors such as Malaysia or Thailand, a fact that currently bodes well for the country in the short term given a weak external growth environment has driven export figures sharply downwards.
Not to say the Philippines is unaffected by decreased demand for its exports, it is simply not as affected as those who rely too heavily on manufactured exports.

2008 was certainly a difficult year for Filipino manufacturers as demand in the country’s two largest trading partners, the United States and Japan, sank on the back of the US-led economic downturn. That downward trend continues as trade with Japan has fallen 32 percent year-on-year as of end-July. In July exports to the United States, which account for 18 percent of total exports, fell 17.5 percent from the same period last year. In total the first seven months of 2009 have seen exports plunge 32 percent year-on-year to $20.5 billion. Any hopes of a V-shaped recovery of global demand in 2009 were dismissed long ago.

Even though imports to the Philippines have likewise fallen drastically by 31.2 percent to $24.3 billion in the first seven months of 2009, it is nevertheless unlikely that the country will post a trade surplus in 2009.

Imports from Japan have decreased by 34 percent in the first half of 2009, while the country’s trade deficit for the first seven months of the year amounted to $3.9 billion,:bash: as the sharp fall in imports outpaced the decline in exports. The Philippines imports nearly all of its crude oil requirements and is also the world’s largest buyer of rice. :bash:

It is partially because imports to the Philippines have fallen that the large decrease in manufactured exports is not felt quite as strongly in the overall economy—as has happened in Malaysia where exports represent nearly 120 percent of GDP.
This has allowed the country to continue posting positive economic growth figures in 2009, albeit quite minimal 1-percent growth in the first half of 2009, while other nations continue to feel the brunt of the global economic downturn. Malaysian GDP dipped 6.2 percent in the first quarter and 3.9 percent in the second quarter of 2009 primarily due to losses sustained in its export-oriented manufacturing sector.

Industrial manufacturing in the Philippines is dominated by the electronics sector. Production of semiconductors accounts for 75 percent of all electronics manufacturing, clearly making the most significant contribution to the Filipino economy in terms of exports (the country accounts for roughly one-tenth of the world’s supply of semiconductors).

However, global demand for electronics has fallen resulting in the large decreases we have seen in semiconductors and other electronics. Many analysts are quick to point out the Philippines is merely an assembler of parts, contributing little in the way of raw materials and basic component manufacturing. This system often produces small profit margins and is therefore overvalued in the national economy.

Auto manufacturing has endured a relatively quiet year as domestic sales have surprisingly remained relatively flat. Elizabeth Lee, president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, recently told local media that the resilient industry was just 1.3 percent off its 2008 pace and should still attain its goal of flat growth by year’s end.

While domestic sales have been relatively quiet, Ford Motor Company Philippines recently completed the largest-ever fleet sales order from Ford Motor Indonesia. The American auto manufacturer recently exported 577 Philippine-made Ford Focus units to the Indonesian National Police Force.

Positive signs have emerged for textiles as well, which recently reported renewed demand on the other side of the Pacific with orders beginning to come in from the United States. According to local media the recent filing of a bill in the US Congress awarding preferential tariffs to Philippine-made garments has prompted an initial $35 million worth of orders. Undersecretary of Trade and Industry Elmer Hernandez also recently told local media the bill is expected to pass no later than the end of the first quarter of 2010 and the industry should expect an increase of $300 million in garments exports on top of the current average of $1 billion.

Energy is one of the major stumbling blocks for manufacturers operating in or considering the Philippines as a potential base. The Philippines has the highest energy costs in the Asean and the second highest in Asia behind Japan, although it should be noted several countries have similar inefficiencies in the power sector that are masked by subsidies. Nevertheless, it poses a significant concern for energy-intensive manufacturers when conducting due diligence on prospective factory sites. The recent privatization of the energy sector will alleviate some apprehension; however, until the energy costs actually begin to drop, power will remain a significant deterrent to manufacturing in the country.

On the other hand, human resources in the Philippines are often judged to be some of the best in the region. Filipinos are often perceived as being very team-oriented—a trait highly valued in manufacturing. Add to that a proficiency in English and a hard-working attitude and you have an ideal combination for factory employees. Geographic proximity to China, India and Russia, home to the world’s largest populations and fastest growing economies, are also very positive attributes to the Philippines manufacturing potential.

During a volatile period in which the current global economic system is being called into question, the subject of where to manufacture the world’s goods remains debatable. However, manufacturing goods from raw materials has and will always remain a crucial cog in the world’s economy.

The Philippines, which boasts strategic advantages with regard to location and human resources, would do well to diversify its current manufacturing industry away from the cyclical demand of electronics.

Harnessing these advantages and developing a stronger, more diversified manufacturing industry to go along with its dynamic and growing service industry could generate stronger growth figures in a country once viewed as one of Asia’s emerging tigers.

More than 1,000 feared dead in major Indonesia quake

By Aubrey Belford
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 08:23:00 10/01/2009
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20091001-227801/More-than-1000-feared-dead-in-major-Indonesia-quake

Filed Under: Earthquake, Disasters (general)

JAKARTA – A massive earthquake wreaked havoc on the Indonesian island of Sumatra Wednesday, with officials saying it could have killed more than 1,000 people as homes and buildings collapsed.

At least 75 people were confirmed dead after hospitals and hotels crumbled, and as fires raged in the coastal city of Padang, home to nearly a million people, in the wake of the 7.6-magnitude quake.

"People are trapped, hotels have collapsed, schools have collapsed, houses have collapsed and electricity has been cut off," Vice President Jusuf Kalla told reporters in Jakarta.

Health ministry crisis center head Rustam Pakaya told AFP that a major city hospital was among the many buildings that had buckled.

"Houses and buildings have collapsed, causing thousands of people to be trapped inside in the rubble," Pakaya said.

Rescue teams and doctors have been rushed out overland and were expected to arrive in the city and nearby affected areas overnight, Pakaya added.

He said he expected the death toll to soar over 1,000 as rescuers reached the city, where communications and power had been cut off by the quake.

Three military transport planes have been prepared to deliver aid including tents, blankets and medicine, Disaster Management Agency spokesman Priyadi Kardono said.

"The effects of the earthquake could be as big as the Yogyakarta quake," he said, referring to a 2006 quake that killed 6,000.

Local media reported that panicked residents rushed from their homes during the quake, which struck off Sumatra's west coast at 5:16 p.m. (1016 GMT), 47 kilometers (29 miles) northwest of Padang.

The quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks, two of which were over 6.0-magnitude, Indonesian geophysics agency technical head Suharjono said, adding that damage was expected to be spread over a wide area.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) had put the quake at a magnitude of 7.9, but later revised it down slightly.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii initially put out a tsunami watch after the quake but later withdrew it.

The quake was felt in the capital Jakarta, 940 kilometers (585 miles) away, and sent frightened office workers streaming out of buildings in nearby Singapore and the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

"The shaking was the worst I had ever felt," Yuliarni, a resident of Pariaman district outside Padang, told TVOne news channel.

"Houses have collapsed, the lights and electricity were cut off... People were fleeing to higher ground and some were hurt," she said.

The quake caused a landslide that destroyed houses at Lake Maninjau, inland from Padang, local resident Hafiz told the channel, while the city airport was slightly damaged but was expected to reopen early Thursday.

Geologists said Padang, which lies near the colliding Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates, was vulnerable to more quakes and tsunamis.

"There will be aftershocks but it's difficult to predict whether there will be a bigger quake," Geological Disaster Mitigation and Volcanology Centre head Surono told AFP.

"There are three big volcanoes in West Sumatra -- Merapi, Talang and Tandikat. We fear that this quake might cause volcanic eruptions there," he said.

Experts have said the city is most at risk from a final segment along the zone shifting to unleash a massive amount of energy.

The zone's other segments have already cracked, including a large portion off Aceh, at the northern tip of Sumatra, which triggered the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people.

Indonesia's Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie said the government had released 100 billion rupiah (10.4 million dollars) in emergency aid to deal with the disaster, news website Okezone reported.

British-based charity Oxfam said it had already earmarked 200,000 pounds (320,000 dollars) for relief efforts, including the distribution of emergency shelters, hygiene kits and clothing.

"We had aid ready because this area of Indonesia is susceptible to this type of tragedy," said Jane Cocking, the organisation's humanitarian director.

"Communications with the quake-zone are difficult and we are hoping for the best but having to plan for the worst. We are pulling together a significant aid effort."

World Vision's Indonesian emergency head Jimmy Nadapdap said in a statement the charity would attempt to send out a disaster survey team to the affected area on Thursday morning.

"It is critical that we get people into the quake zone as soon as possible to find out what has happened," he said.

"If buildings have collapsed then people are likely to be in urgent need of food, water and especially shelter. The injured will also need medical assistance."

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.

A quake on the main island of Java earlier this month killed 123 people.

Speechless na talaga ako kay Ondoy

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/afp/2009100...e-5cc1ef8.html

Typhoon Ketsana kills 331 across Southeast Asia
AFP

AFP - Thursday, October 1
HOI AN, Vietnam (AFP) - – Typhoon Ketsana extended its destructive rampage through Southeast Asia Wednesday, blowing away whole villages in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos as the regional death toll rose to 331.

The storm has unleashed some of the worst flooding in a decade to hit the region, having already submerged most of the Philippine capital at the weekend, and governments are struggling to help more than two million survivors.

"I have never seen such a strong wind in my life," Pang Phot, a police officer in Cambodia's badly hit Sandann district, told AFP by telephone.

"Many wooden houses were immediately blown away and many others collapsed to the ground. It was raining heavily and people could not flee their homes because the wind hit immediately," he said.

Ketsana killed 246 people in the Philippines while still a weaker tropical storm, before strengthening over the South China Sea and smashing into Vietnam on Tuesday, leaving another 74 dead from flooding and landslides.

It moved inland to lash Cambodia overnight, killing 11 more people, and caused metre-high floods in Laos, where it was downgraded to a tropical depression on Wednesday.

Authorities in northeastern Thailand were also on high alert but said there had been no damage yet.

Hungry and stranded survivors were marooned on rooftops in flooded parts of central Vietnam, complaining of a slow government response to their plight.

In the historic tourist town of Hoi An, a UNESCO world heritage site, some people were trapped on the metal roofs of their homes until soldiers arrived by boat to rescue them, AFP reporters saw.

"We have not received any support from local authorities," a 28-year-old mother of twin toddlers said in nearby Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province, where the typhoon made landfall on Tuesday night.

On Tuesday flooding hit parts of the major city of Danang as well as Hue, the former capital and another World Heritage site.

"Our aid work is very difficult, even with a greater mobilisation from the soldiers and the police, because the scale of the flooding is too vast and we lack equipment," said Phan Nhu Nghia, president of the Vietnamese Red Cross in Danang.

Officials and the UN estimated around 200,000 people in Vietnam had fled their homes. Five hundred and thirty homes had collapsed and 100,000 others were flooded or damaged, they said.

In Cambodia, authorities said the homes of thousands of people had been evacuated as the storm packed winds of up to 145 kilometres (90 miles) an hour.

Nine were killed and 28 injured in central Cambodia while two died in the northeast overnight as the country was battered by the storm, officials said. The victims included a grandmother, mother and three children in one house.

"At least nine people were crushed last night when their houses fell down," said Chea Cheat, chief of the Red Cross office in central Kampong Thom province, adding that at least 92 houses in his province were destroyed.

In deeply impoverished and isolated Laos, five or six villages had reportedly been flooded in Savannakhet province and aid workers were making their way there by car, aid agency World Vision said.

"We have the capability to urgently ready 500 aid packs if our assessment teams find these are needed," World Vision aid worker Vatthanathavone Inthirath said.

In the Philippines, the United States said Wednesday it would send soldiers and military equipment to help its former colony recover from devastating floods triggered by Ketsana.

Ketsana dumped the heaviest rains in more than four decades on Manila and surrounding areas on Saturday, submerging 80 percent of the nation's capital.

Four days later, some areas remained underwater or knee-deep in mud, while hundreds of thousands of people were crammed into makeshift evacuation centres.

Meanwhile, there were warnings that another looming typhoon may add to the devastation. Typhoon Parma was lurking to the east of the Philippines and on course to hit the country on Thursday or Friday.

The European Commission announced two million euros (2.9 million dollars) of emergency humanitarian aid to help typhoon victims in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The money comes on top of a similar sum for the Philippines.

In exporting artwork, RP turns creative

By Abigail L. Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:24:00 09/28/2009

Filed Under: Trade (general)

WITH MERCHANDISE EXPORTS remaining relatively sluggish, the country is banking on another form of export—Philippine arts—to help keep it afloat in these tough times.

Manuel Duldulao, founding chair of Exhibition Center for Contemporary Art, said Filipino paintings depicting distinct Pinoy scenes, such as those of fiestas and tourist spots, were in demand in other countries.

“There are no boundaries now in Philippine art,” he said. “Filipino paintings on fiesta, landmarks—those are the paintings you can sell because no other countries have them.”

Filipino contemporary art, or paintings depicting street protests, current events, social responses to political events, romanticism and festivals like Pahiyas and Maskara, are also saleable, he said.

He said local artists made waves in a recent Singapore Sotheby’s auction. Artwork by Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Fernando Amorsolo, Arturo Luz and Ronald Ventura “broke records” in that auction.

The United Nations Development Program, in its 2005 Creative Economy Report, ranked the Philippines as one of 10 biggest exporters of visual arts among developing economies.

The Philippines that year exported around $107 million worth of such goods, with the creative industries contributing 4.92 percent to the country’s gross domestic product then. It was also cited as the fifth largest exporter of sculptures at $102 million.

In the upcoming Manila Furnishings and Apparel Manufacturers’ Exchange International trade show, 20 galleries showcasing some of the best in local visual arts will be featured.

Ahaha... thanks.

They are making a resurgence alright. When I see Marcos cronies still making big bucks, all I could say: kapal ng mukha!

Also, we are seeing bad government interventions in business affairs. See what happened to Yuchengco when he was supposedly arm twisted to sell his shares to MVP. My oh my... Earp's BW shares scandal and now GMA having stocks in the PSE? :ohno:

It is indeed complicated. Although I agree with what you said, there is certain premise that I have to refute. It's the premise that if we have those, our country would succeed, or if we don't have those, then we will fail. But as what Dr. Villegas has said in his article, other countries in Asia also have bad governance issues, corruption, instability. In fact, they are notorious for corruption. But why were they still better off? It's because despite those deficiencies, they could still unite in issues that are good for their country. And when they enact policies, they're consistent. Meaning, when new government takes over, rules don't change. That's not true in our country.

agree. corruption is present in practically every country.

my opinion on why these countries are better off. i believe, at one point in time, they've had leaders who have instituted reforms back then. they are now riding the momentum of such reforms even if lets us say those crop of leaders are no longer present. as for us, looks like the wheels of progress has been stuck up (or moving albeit slow) for quite some time. if only, a couple of successive enlightened leaders will lead the way.

Better late than never :)

ASEAN offers help to ‘Ondoy’ victims
By MADEL R. SABATER
October 3, 2009, 7:16pm

Association of Southeast Asian Nations Deputy Secretary General Sayakane Sisouvong on Saturday met with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alberto Romulo to offer ASEAN’s assistance to the victims of Tropical Storm “Ondoy.”

The ASEAN deputy secretary general arrived yesterday and met with Romulo at the Manila Polo Club yesterday afternoon. He will also meet Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral to discuss how the ASEAN can be of further help to the affected areas. There is also a plan to visit an evacuation center.

The DFA said Sisouvong informed Romulo that the ASEAN has set up an emergency relief fund called “ASEAN Cooperation Fund for Emergency Relief” to assist the victims of Ondoy (international name: Ketsana), which has battered other ASEAN countries – Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR.

The said emergency relief fund will also be used to help the victims of the Indonesia quake earlier this week.

Sisouvong was dispatched to the Philippines by ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan to assess the extent of the damages caused by the storm.

The DFA said ASEAN’s initial fund for emergency relief will be taken from the ASEAN Development Fund, and will be used to purchase relief items based on the needs of the affected populations.

The Philippines is one of the 10 member countries of the ASEAN.

Earlier, ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan appealed to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers to make contribution to the emergency relief fund.
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/223083/a

RP recovery tied to middle class consumption
Business World
http://www.bworldonline.com/BW100609/content.php?id=004

The Philippines and other countries in East Asia should facilitate the rise of their middle classes as this sector can provide a more stable market than foreign buyers, experts yesterday said at conference organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) think tank.

"Our existing economies are quite dependent on the consumption of the outside world. We should utilize this crisis as a chance to achieve sustainable growth," Dinh Van An, the chairman of Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), said at a symposium in Jakarta attended by leaders from the public and private sectors and the academe.

The middle class, described as those that are able to earn disposable income for discretionary spending, is key to developing domestic demand, conference speakers said.

It is estimated that 51% of the population of seven ASEAN countries — Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam — is now in the middle class, compared to just 27% in the early 1990s, ERIA senior researcher Ponciano S. Intal, Jr. said.

To enhance middle class demand, governments would do well to invest in education and social services to boost citizens’ capabilities to earn income, said Center for Research and Communication economist Ramon M. Quesada.

Mr. Intal, meanwhile, stated in a paper presented at the conference that a consistently high rate of economic growth and equal distribution of income would also "expand and deepen the middle class."

With robust middle class demand, the region’s economies will be insulated from the volatility of the international market, John C. Wood, an ERIA governing board member representing New Zealand, said.

So far, intra-ASEAN export sales in 2008 have accounted for 27.6% of member states’ total sales to the world, data from the ASEAN Secretariat show. Shipments to the European Union, Japan, China and the US make up a larger 45.9%.

"The emergence of the middle class has become a subject of study and promotion through public policy... The more self-sustaining the demand is, the more predictable and resilient the underlying economy will be," Mr. Wood said.

Furthermore, demand driven by this sector will boost industrial development as middle class consumers are more likely to buy processed goods, better quality garments and home equipment, Mr. Intal said.

Sustainable urbanization


Written by Ernesto Hilario / About Town
Monday, 05 October 2009 22:22
Business MIrror

With 400,000 people reported to be still in evacuation centers more than a week after the destruction wrought by tropical storm Ondoy, especially in Metro Manila, it is really time to review what the city has become over the years and find out what needs to be done to make it not just less prone to disasters, but more liveable.

I’ll leave it to architects and urban planners to find a way out of the mess that Metro Manila has become.

Architect Felino Palafox Jr. has stirred much-needed debate by saying that the Ondoy disaster was not an act of God but largely man-made. Why?

Because a comprehensive plan for Metro Manila development had been drafted as early as 1977, and yet we have only to look at the city now—imposing high-rises in business districts and elegant homes in gated communities existing cheek-by-jowl with blighted slum communities, and the vital waterways that should drain floodwaters have been taken over not just by informal settlers, but even by real-estate developers—to realize that Ondoy was a disaster waiting to happen.

(Parenthetically, it may be asked: If the Ondoy disaster was not an act of God but man-made, can owners of residences and vehicles submerged by floods make claims against insurance firms, which are now saying that the fine print in insurance contracts stipulates that “acts of God” or natural calamities are not covered?

Sen. Nene Pimentel, who says he is also a victim of Ondoy since his house in Marikina was likewise partly submerged, said last Saturday at Kapihan sa Sulô that he would file a class-action suit against those responsible for releasing water from dams at the height of typhoon Ondoy, which he says led to the rapid rise in floodwaters.)

Palafox attributes the haphazard and unsystematic urban growth to corruption in government and the greed of property developers out to make a quick buck. That conclusion will not exactly endear him to those in government and the private sector, but I think he has begun to raise the right questions, and that’s what’s important.


As I see it, the goal should be sustainable urbanization. That is what the United Nations Human Settlements Program, or UN-Habitat, is trying to achieve. Its overriding goal is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities by providing adequate shelter for all.

The rationale for sustainable urbanization is explained by UN-Habitat thus: “Towns and cities are growing today at unprecedented rates, setting the social, political, cultural and environmental trends of the world, both good and bad. In 1950, one-third of the world’s people lived in cities. Just 50 years later, this rose to one-half and will continue to grow to two-thirds, or 6 billion people, by 2050…. Cities are the hubs of much national production and consumption—economic and social processes that generate wealth and opportunity. But they also create disease, crime, pollution, poverty and social unrest. In many cities, especially in developing countries, slum dwellers number more than 50 percent of the population and have little or no access to shelter, water and sanitation, education or health services. It is essential that policy*makers understand the power of the city as a catalyst for national development.”

Sustainable urbanization means a city without slums. But this may be easier said than done, particularly for developing countries like the Philippines where income inequality is high. Thus, even as we might want to redesign cities to clear estero and other waterways of squatters and build high-rise dwellings for the poor and low-income groups, that means we also have to generate enough resources for a comprehensive and holistic approach to development. Our capability to effectively cope with disasters, after all, is directly proportional to our level of economic development.

While at this, I am glad that civil society is taking an active role not just in rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts, but also in capacity-building for disaster preparedness and mitigation.

The Emergency Resource Center (ERC), a nongovernment organization, says that Ondoy should be a wake-up call for Filipinos to be self-reliant and protect themselves when disaster strikes. This self-reliant posture, of course, assumes that government may not always be there or simply cannot deliver when crunch time comes. It’s not an altogether unwarranted assumption, as we have seen.

What ERC is saying is that we need not have thousands of people marooned on the roofs of their submerged homes, and waiting for help from the government that seemed ages to arrive because it did not reckon with the magnitude of disaster. People must be educated on what to do in case of emergencies such as this. We should not be over-reliant on elite rescue teams and instead popularize “bystander rescue” among residents themselves, especially during the initial stages of a disaster, when we only have each other to depend on for help. In other words, people have to be pro-active and prepare for the worst even without government’s help.

The operative principle here is empowerment. But government is not entirely left out in this strategy, since the educational curriculum should also include disaster preparedness. It’s a viable strategy, I think, considering that we have to deal with 20 or so typhoons a year, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, not to mention innumerable manmade disasters of the two legged-kind walking in the corridors of power.



Email: ernhil@yahoo.com

Who do we blame for untrammeled hyperurbanization in Manila?

Kenneth Cardenas, Instructor, UP Diliman Department of Sociology | 10/05/2009 5:27 PM


EDITORS’ NOTE:
This essay is based on a Facebook note published by the author on October 1, 2009, and on the subsequent discussion generated by comments from other Facebook users. The author is very grateful for the insights of the online public, especially those from Alan Cadavos, Josephine Dionisio, Andi Lacuesta, Rowie Azada-Palacios, and Jan Velasco.
With this piece, we are kicking off a series on “Disasters: the Search for Solutions”. To contribute to this series, email editorial@abs-cbnNEWS.com



It comes as no surprise that public anger in the aftermath of the Ondoy disaster has focused on corruption and incompetence among government officials: on how Arroyo’s Le Cirque dinner could have paid for disaster response equipment; how her son was spotted stocking up on booze even as people were dying in the rising floodwaters; and how unscrupulous politicians were taking advantage of the situation by plastering their grinning mugs all over relief goods. It is, after all, easier to lay responsibilities on names and faces rather than on structural causes.

There is, however, a critical aspect of the issue that evades easy association with names and faces, and is consequently not addressed by the public debate: the problem of untrammeled, private sector-led urbanization.

Whose face do we associate, for example, with the following problems?

1.) As Felino Palafox pointed out, (1) large areas of the east bank of the Marikina River—the exact same areas that were subjected to a massive flash flood—should not have been settled in the first place. Plans that have been drawn up in 1977 called for limits on construction in these areas and public works designed to withstand even the once-in-a-century flooding we saw last weekend.

2.) In Quezon City, a ridge along the west bank of the Marikina River, which should have been preserved as a watershed, was paved over as exclusive subdivisions (such as La Vista, Loyola Grand Villas, Blue Ridge, and Ayala Heights), schools (Ateneo de Manila and Miriam College) or settled as slums. In fact, the 1941 Frost Plan for Quezon City identified a protected area on the west bank that stretched from the Batasan area in the north down to Libis in the south.(2) (See maps 1 and 2)

<Click image to view larger map>

Map 1. The 1941 Frost Plan for Quezon City compared to a satellite image of actual land use. Note the green protected area stretching from the Batasan area (military academy on the plan) all the way to Libis. The area shown in Map 2 is indicated by the red dots.

Ideally, a forested catchment basin would have prevented flash flooding by maintaining soils with a high absorptive capacity, but as these slopes were graded and paved over for subdivisions, their ability of the soil to retain rainwater was severely compromised.

It is definitely no coincidence that these were perhaps the worst-hit areas in all of Quezon City, where mansions built on slopes unsuitable for residential areas collapsed and entire slums drowned in floodwaters.

3.) Further upstream in the Marikina River system, this process of paving over watersheds is being repeated in new suburban developments in the Sierra Madre foothills of Rizal. Interestingly, at least two presidential aspirants are heavily invested into this process.

I’ll leave it up to you to guess who.

4.) Last but not the least, an altogether more complex problem: a well-meaning policy (3) requires that real estate developers allocate 20% of their “horizontal” house-and-lot developments to socialized housing. However, no such requirement exists for “vertical” condominium developments.

<Click image to view larger map>

Map 2. Actual land use northeast of the UP Diliman campus. Note that in the original Frost Plan, this would have been protected parkland. Instead, it has been transformed into private subdivisions, a golf course, and slums.

In addition, land prices in the metro area are ridiculously expensive for our level of economic development. Between 1975 and 1991, for example, land prices in Metro Manila grew at a pace of 2.5 to 3.65 times faster than GDP per capita (4). Additionally, newly freed-up parcels (like Fort Bonifacio, Camp Bago Bantay and North Triangle) are typically privatized to the highest bidder.

Given the high price of acquiring urban land, the tendency for developers is to build condominiums for the low-risk, high-return markets of high income demographics. There is absolutely no incentive, whether through our laws or through market forces, to develop high-rise residences in the urban core for the poor majority of the population: effectively denying them, through pricing, the right to legally own property in the urban core.

These factors have two consequences for how Mega Manila grows, how it is built, and how it was affected by tropical storm Ondoy.
The first is the growth of slums in core areas. With land and condominium units effectively priced out of their reach, there is little choice for the urban poor but to live in slums, especially as the market creates conditions for the concentration of 44% of Metro Manila’s land in the hands of the country’s elite families.(5)
The following data demonstrates the extent to which urban poor Filipinos have been systematically abandoned by the state and shunned by the market. We have roughly the same GDP per capita as Indonesia; however, 44% of urban Filipinos live in slums, compared to 23% of urban Indonesians. (6)
Slum % urban population (2003) GDP/capita (PPP$) (2008)
Philippines 44.1 3,510
Indonesia 23.1 3,975

As the events of the past weekend show, slums are disproportionately vulnerable to natural disasters, as they are often built on marginal land and have high population densities.(7)

The second consequence is sprawl: the city grows out, rather than up. To tap demographics that are priced out of core urban lands, as well as to meet the government’s 20% socialized housing requirement, developers opt to build house-and-lot subdivisions in the urban periphery, where land is still relatively cheap, and where old landlords are eager to dispose of properties about to be subjected to agrarian reform.

This is despite the fact that a significant proportion of land in Metro Manila are in the form of idle, vacant lots. Most neighborhoods in northern Quezon City, where I live, are patchworks of sprawling “exclusive” subdivisions, slum colonies, and idle lots as land bank.

Thus, within the past two decades, Manila’s metropolitan area, as defined by a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square kilometer, has grown to become a 3,105 sq. km. monstrosity, with much of this growth occurring as encroachment on prime agricultural land in Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna. (8)

This worsened the extent of this weekend's disaster by expanding the land area affected. With a larger land area to cover, transportation and communications for the relief effort was more difficult than it should have been, and the need to coordinate between different local governments prevented a quicker response.

More importantly, most of the growth occurs in suburban and peri-urban areas that do not have the infrastructure, manpower, and equipment to address these sorts of disasters. Keep in mind that some of the most hard-hit areas, such as Marilao in Bulacan, Biñan in Laguna, and San Mateo, Rodriguez and Cainta in Rizal fit this description perfectly: suburban areas that have seen explosive urbanization but did not see a corresponding improvement in infrastructure and local government capacity.

We therefore end up with a city that is more prone to natural disasters than it should be, in a century that will likely see an out-of-whack ecosystem throwing stronger typhoons and unpredictable monsoons at us.

Now, the hard questions.

Who do we blame for underdevelopment in the countryside? The explosive growth of Mega Manila is directly driven by rural-to-urban migration, as agriculture is no longer a viable livelihood for many Filipinos. Who do we blame for the fact that 62.6% of Filipinos live in cities, compared to 32.5% of Thais? (9) Do we blame the poor for the fact that in the countryside, they are deprived of livelihoods, incomes, and education for their children?

Given our propensity to heap public anger on Jaque Bermejos and UglyYuBins, to publicly shame Mikey Arroyos and Manny Villars, and to present Gloria’s resignation as the solution to what is most definitely a persistent, structural problem, how do we, as a public, come to terms with this situation?

If it’s a matter of laying blame, shouldn’t we also be lining up the Ayalas, the Solivens, and hell, even the Jesuits for developing on lands that should have been preserved as watersheds? Should homeowners shoulder responsibility for creating demand for house-and-lot properties? To stretch the blame game to the point of absurdity: should we demand an official apology from the Americans for exporting the unsustainable house-in-the-suburbs, two-car-garage dream to our country?

And if we do, how would it help the relief efforts? How would the blame game help us arrive at solutions?

If it’s a matter of pinning hopes on our politicians: would a different constitution, a different president, a different NDCC, a different MMDA chair, and different mayors and local government officials translate to substantial changes in how we build our city?

The answers to these questions, I think, are best left to a broad public debate for two reasons.

First, it would get more people thinking and working on solutions. Already, in the wide-ranging conversation generated by the original version of this essay (10), a number of potential solutions have emerged: low-cost housing stock markets; idle land taxation; and transfer of development rights to name a few.

Second, a sustained public clamor is perhaps the only way we can get elected officials to act on a comprehensive solution. Odds are, none of the presidential and mayoral aspirants have a concrete long-term plan for Mega Manila in the 21st century. After all, why build infrastructure that the next mayor would get credit for? If you want to get reelected, it's much more effective to play the kasal, binyag, at libing patron than to implement a responsible long-term plan.

What the public ultimately needs to do is to create the necessary pressure on elected officials by actively utilizing democratic spaces, by making it clear to elected officials that it is in their best interests to uphold our best interests, as well as the best interests of future generations. Democracy, after all, is not merely a matter of holding a popularity contest every three years.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
An MA Sociology student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, the author is currently conducting independent research on the interplay between globalization, local political and economic elites, and 21st-century urbanization in developing societies with Alvin Camba, an MA History student at University of the Philippines Diliman.

Learning to live with it


Written by Manuel Buencamino
Dispatches from the Enchanted Kingdom
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 02:27
Business Mirror


The Dutch are considered the world’s foremost experts on keeping land dry. Their system of dikes and pumps serves as models for conquering nature to many low-lying communities around the world. But as the world tries to emulate Dutch water-management techniques, a group of innovative Dutch architects is creating radical designs that depart from the old concept of keeping the water out.

Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio NL, one of the leading proponents of the new approach to dealing with water, explains why climate change makes it necessary to rethink established ways.

“…We are actually trying to move away from fighting against the water. Now we are beginning to let the water in and we are starting to make friends with the water. We have to do that because eventually the dikes won’t be able to keep up and all of this part of Holland will be flooded. So, it’s better just to work with the water instead of fighting against it.”

And so Olthuis and like-minded thinkers are designing floating and amphibious houses, buildings and even islands.

Floating houses are like houseboats; they float on water all the time. Amphibious houses, on the other hand, are structures that sit on dry land, built on a hollow concrete base for buoyancy, and attached to mooring posts that allow the houses to float upwards, and in place, when there is flooding.

There are structures that are simply built in the wrong places. Lack of urban planning and poor zoning have allowed housing developments like Provident Village to mushroom in floodplains like the Marikina Valley.

It’s too late to flood-proof structures already built, but new buildings and development projects can be constructed with flooding in mind.

Maasbommel, a village about a hundred miles from Amsterdam, is in an area prone to severe flooding. In the 1990s, two floods devastated the area and forced the evacuation of thousands. Prospects for rehabilitating the area looked dim until a Dutch construction company, Dura Vermeer, decided to start a housing project consisting of floating and amphibious houses. Today, a new water-friendly community sits on the banks of the Meuse River in Maasbommel.

The project, although experimental and small—15 floating and 35 amphibious houses plus a floating greenhouse—has attracted international attention. BBC News reported that officials from New Orleans visited Maasbommel to see how these houses worked. But floating and amphibious houses are only the beginning.

Koen Olthuis and his partner Paul van de Camp are building a series of floating islands for the ruler of Dubai.

“Each island is stable. There’s some damping and mooring systems underneath it, so if you’re living on such an island, it feels exactly the same as a normal house. One or two days a year, when there’s a big storm, you may feel a little bit of shaking, but 97 percent of the time it’s absolutely the same as a normal house,” said Olthuis.

Olthuis has also submitted designs for a floating beach, four floating mosques that will be tethered to the islands, a floating terminal for cruise ships, and a 400-foot-tall floating hotel.

The point is, nature cannot be conquered. We just have to learn how to deal creatively with whatever it gives us.



Buencamino is a fellow of Action for EconomicReforms (www.aer.ph).

RP continues to lag behind poverty reduction target

(The Philippine Star)
Updated October 09, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine government continues to lag behind its target to reduce poverty by the end of 2015, the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) said yesterday.

The UNPF also said that the series of natural disasters further threatens development efforts with only six years to go before the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The MDGs are eight-time-bound goals aimed at significantly reducing, if not completely eradicating, extreme poverty by 2015.

The UNPF said the Philippines lags behind its targets on eliminating poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, reducing maternal deaths and combating HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).

“More than one-third of the population are still living on less than $1 a day, over five million children are not in school, 93 newborn babies and 11 mothers are dying everyday, HIV and AIDS cases are growing, with the youth increasingly becoming more vulnerable, and environmental resources are depleting,” said UNPF Representative and UN Advocacy Group chair Suneeta Mukherjee in yesterday’s press conference for the 2009 Stand Up Against Poverty Campaign, which adopted the local theme “Stand United, Fight Poverty.”

For his part, UN Millennium Campaign (UNMC) Deputy Director Minar Pimple said the Philippine government needs “disaster-proofing” of its MDGs or integrating disaster risk reduction into sustainable development policies and planning so that it contributes to MDG achievement.

“Efforts to avoid or at least mitigate further losses are a must by all concerned if achievement of the goals by 2015 is to be a realistic proposition. Disaster proofing the MDGs is a need of the hour,” Pimple said.

Former national treasurer Leonor Briones, of Social Watch Philippines, said widespread measures need to be taken to minimize the impacts of recurrent floods, droughts and other hazards that further exacerbate the poverty situation.

“Life has been a calamity for 3.7 million Filipino families with no food, no education, and no health care. The numbers are steadily increasing with the impacts of extreme weather conditions regularly happening nowadays,” Briones said.

Social Watch and UNMC earlier launched the “I Vote for MDG” campaign, which encourages voters to know their candidates in next year’s elections.

It urged voters to support only candidates with the MDGs as their platform of government.

The Stand Up campaign has set Oct. 16, 17 and 18 as its global mobilization of people to demand world leaders to deliver on their promise to end poverty by 2015.

The event will be coupled with a series of activities organized by multi-sectoral groups to be held nationwide during the three-day campaign, such as fund-raising marathons, environmental cleanup, community dialogues and tree planting, among others. – Jose Rodel Clapano

RP continues to lag behind poverty reduction target

(The Philippine Star)
Updated October 09, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine government continues to lag behind its target to reduce poverty by the end of 2015, the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) said yesterday.

The UNPF also said that the series of natural disasters further threatens development efforts with only six years to go before the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The MDGs are eight-time-bound goals aimed at significantly reducing, if not completely eradicating, extreme poverty by 2015.

The UNPF said the Philippines lags behind its targets on eliminating poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, reducing maternal deaths and combating HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).

“More than one-third of the population are still living on less than $1 a day, over five million children are not in school, 93 newborn babies and 11 mothers are dying everyday, HIV and AIDS cases are growing, with the youth increasingly becoming more vulnerable, and environmental resources are depleting,” said UNPF Representative and UN Advocacy Group chair Suneeta Mukherjee in yesterday’s press conference for the 2009 Stand Up Against Poverty Campaign, which adopted the local theme “Stand United, Fight Poverty.”

For his part, UN Millennium Campaign (UNMC) Deputy Director Minar Pimple said the Philippine government needs “disaster-proofing” of its MDGs or integrating disaster risk reduction into sustainable development policies and planning so that it contributes to MDG achievement.

“Efforts to avoid or at least mitigate further losses are a must by all concerned if achievement of the goals by 2015 is to be a realistic proposition. Disaster proofing the MDGs is a need of the hour,” Pimple said.

Former national treasurer Leonor Briones, of Social Watch Philippines, said widespread measures need to be taken to minimize the impacts of recurrent floods, droughts and other hazards that further exacerbate the poverty situation.

“Life has been a calamity for 3.7 million Filipino families with no food, no education, and no health care. The numbers are steadily increasing with the impacts of extreme weather conditions regularly happening nowadays,” Briones said.

Social Watch and UNMC earlier launched the “I Vote for MDG” campaign, which encourages voters to know their candidates in next year’s elections.

It urged voters to support only candidates with the MDGs as their platform of government.

The Stand Up campaign has set Oct. 16, 17 and 18 as its global mobilization of people to demand world leaders to deliver on their promise to end poverty by 2015.

The event will be coupled with a series of activities organized by multi-sectoral groups to be held nationwide during the three-day campaign, such as fund-raising marathons, environmental cleanup, community dialogues and tree planting, among others. – Jose Rodel Clapano

SUGGESTION TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT:
why not identify all the people in the country who are poor and invite them to join the military. the POOR not only serves the country but earns a MONEY. AND POVERTY IS REDUCED AS WELL AS UNEMPLYMENT...

http://images.inquirer.net/media/opinion/inquireropinion/editorial/images/pic-10100653500052.jpg

Gloria the Great!

Good idea tax_payer. As a fellow taxpayer myself, I would just like to say - No more handouts, no more coddling.

Taxpayers have rights too!

ASEAN urged to implement pro-poor plans (http://mb.com.ph/articles/224585/asean-urged-implement-propoor-plans)
By ELLALYN B. DE VERA


International cause-oriented groups urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to uplift the human rights of Southeast Asian people, especially at times of crises and disasters.

Some 30 grassroots leaders and experts from the Southeast Asian region issued a collective call to the ASEAN to particularly implement pro-poor social protection measures among those affected by the series of disasters and the global financial crisis.

According to Tina Ebro, coordinator for Asia of the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF), there is a need to work together not just locally, but also regionally and globally, noting the scope of crises expands beyond that of political borders.

Ebro pointed out that these crises are “golden opportunity” to push the agenda of social protection especially for the poor that will guarantee jobs and livelihoods with wages and working conditions that are in accordance with International Labor Organization (ILO) standards, adequate and affordable food where no one goes hungry, universal health service, free and quality education, socialized decent housing, universal access to water and electricity, giving subsidized water and electricity for the poor, and better quality of life that is environmentally sustainable.

The grassroots leaders and experts joined together for a two-day meet at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City to build a consensus that will create an agenda on transformative social protection in response to joblessness, death, and destruction brought by man-made and natural calamities.

“We (in the Philippines) are still reeling from the onslaughts of the recent typhoons. People moved as zombies — shocked, helpless, and overwhelmed. But this story is not ours alone. Destruction also struck our neighbors in Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia, India, and islands of Samoa
and Tonga,” Ebro said.

RP scientists conduct study on climate change socioeconomics

By Rudy A. Fernandez
(The Philippine Star)
Updated October 16, 2009 12:00 AM

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna , Philippines – A research project that focuses on the socioeconomics of climate change in the Philippines is on.

The study is titled “State of the Art on the Socioeconomics of Climate Change in the Philippines: Expert Synthesis and Benchmarking.”

It is being undertaken by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO SEARCA) and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD). Both are based in Los Baños.

SEARCA is one of the 15 “centers of excellence” of SEAMEO, an inter-government treaty organization founded in 1965 to foster cooperation among Southeast Asian nations in the fields of education, science, and culture.

PCARRD is DOST’s sectoral council. It coordinates, evaluates, and monitors agriculture, forestry, and natural resources research in the country.

SEARCA, through its director, Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., and PCARRD, represented by its executive director, Dr. Patricio S. Faylon, have signed a memorandum of agreement for the implementation of the project.

Dr. Ernesto Brown of PCARRD told The STAR that the PCARRD-SEARCA team has started going over studies on the socioeconomics of climate change conducted over the past few years by research institutions and students who have chosen CC as the subject of their dissertations and thesis.

On the whole, the project is expected to provide science-based information to assist the Philippines in policy formulation related to climate change.

It will consolidate existing literature to identify research gaps on the socioeconomic implications of climate change as well as the SE benefits of mitigation measures. It will also benchmark Philippine SE research on CC vis-à-vis those of neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

Dr. Saguiguit noted that the impacts of climate change on the way people live are already felt and have been discussed in various activities.

However, the SEARCA official averred, climate change also affects the way we do development. This project will hopefully shape the future direction of development policies and research.

Dr. Faylon also pointed out that the collaboration between SEARCA and PCARRD will benefit not only the Philippines but Southeast Asia as well. Moreover, the results of the project will be useful not only to researchers, development planners, and policymakers but also farmers who are greatly affected by climate change.

Summing up, SEARCA and PCARRD stressed: “Looking at the socioeconomics of climate change gives a human development perspective to this phenomenon as a global problem. It will demonstrate how critical climate change is in addressing development goals.”

MVP as recon chief, an inspired decision
The Manila Times
Friday, 16 October 2009 00:00
By Dan Mariano

No doubt, the formidable executive talents of Manuel V. Pangilinan, a.k.a MVP, were what commended him to the chair of the newly formed special reconstruction commission.


As announced by President Gloria Arroyo on Tuesday, Pangilinan will lead the effort to solicit aid from international donors and undertake the long-term rehabilitation of calamity-struck regions of the Philippines.

MVP’s appointment to the reconstruction body was an inspired decision on the President’s part. His reputation for getting even the toughest jobs done precedes him.

For instance, MVP turned a telecommunications company, which had been perennially in the red, into one of the most profitable and dynamic business conglomerates in Southeast Asia.

His readiness to commit himself to worthwhile projects beyond his immediate corporate involvements is also legendary. So remarkable is MVP’s track record that some quarters had tried to persuade him to run for president in 2010—a suggestion that he eventually shot down.

Politics is evidently not MVP’s cup of tea, which is precisely why his appointment to the reconstruction commission gives much hope that the critical mission of sorting out the mess left behind by a string of calamities that recently pummeled—and continue to hit—the country would be accomplished.

Mrs. Arroyo evidently figured that had she named one of her usual flunkeys or political allies to lead the recon body, it would have been laughed out of existence even before it got the chance to convene.

Few Filipinos would have believed that, say, the billions of pesos Congress is set to allot for reconstruction would not somehow be used for partisan purposes in the run-up to next year’s general elections—or, worse, make their way to private pockets.

Squatter problem

Among the many problems that urgently cry out for solution by MVP’s reconstruction commission concerns the tens of thousands of squatter-families that for decades have occupied waterways in Metro Manila.

Slums severely constrict the flow of floodwater to Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay. Many shanties alongside creeks and rivers were washed away by the flashfloods wrought by Ketsana/Ondoy.

Media reports, however, show that the squatters have begun to return to their hazardous—and illegal—settlements, including those on both banks of the Manggahan Floodway. And who can blame them? They have nowhere else to go.

As in the past, all that has been proposed thus far to resolve the squatter issue is to set aside parcels of land out in the boondocks for resettlement by the so-called “informal settlers.”

Experience shows that such projects not only waste scarce public resources, but they are also doomed to fail.

From the Sapang Palay project launched five decades ago to the more recent ones in Laguna and Bulacan, squatter relocation programs have consistently flopped due to the government’s failure to take
key factors into consideration.

For one, the resettlements are located far from the squatters’ sources of livelihood. Many slum-dwellers are minimum-wage earners, day workers, small tradesmen and ambulant vendors who rely on economic opportunities that can only be found in the city.

Forcing squatters to live in far-flung villages in the countryside only ensures that they would make their way back to the metropolis and build new slums for themselves.

The policy of giving relocated squatters title to resettlement lots also serves to guarantee return-migration. A thriving business in relocation sites is the sale of “rights” to the land given to squatters.

In Sapang Palay, for instance, only a handful remains of the families that were removed from the Intramuros slums in the mid-1960s by then-Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas. Most resold their lots, and went back to the city.

If MVP and his recon body need a winning formula to permanently resolve the squatter issue, it would do them well to learn from the experience of Kuala Lumpur.

As the October 7 edition of this column noted, some 40,000 squatter families used to reside in the Malaysian capital in 1980. By this year, their number has dwindled to 3,000.

The former squatters have been relocated to medium-rise apartment blocks built and maintained by the Projek Perumahanan Rakyat (PPR), which roughly translates from Bahasa as “project housing for the poorest of the poor.”

Filipino delegates to the 16th General Assembly of the Confederation of Asean Journalists held in Malaysia earlier this month got a chance to tour one of the PPR housing projects in Jalan Peel.

Each of the former squatter families lives in a 650-sq-feet, or about 60sqm, apartment with three bedrooms and two toilets. There are 740 such units in the Jalan Peel project alone with each structure rising from eight- to 13-story, equipped with elevators.

Each household pays rent of 125 Malaysian ringgits a month, equivalent to about $30, or P1,700. The rent represents just 5 percent of a resident-family’s average monthly income of MR 2,500—about P35,000.

The erstwhile slum dwellers now have so much disposable income that satellite TV dishes festoon the PPR housing block while late-model cars, mostly Malaysian-made Protons, pack the parking slots.

KL City Hall officials in charge of the PPR projects are confident they can meet their “zero-squatter” target next year. The reasons for the PPR’s success are apparent.

First, the relocation sites are in Kuala Lumpur itself so the ex-squatters have access to their usual sources of livelihood.

Second, the financial terms the PPR imposes on the relocated squatters allow them to retain a large share of their family income, which they can use to improve their lot.

Third, the relocated squatters are required to pay rent. They do not own their resettlement flats, which they cannot resell. Families who are able to raise their income move on to quarters that reflect their improved economic status. The PPR flats they used to occupy are then rented out to other squatters.

If only out of Asean solidarity, officials of the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur <www.dbl.gov.my> would be more than willing to share their experiences and insights with MVP and the rest of the reconstruction commission.

SUGGESTION TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT:
why not identify all the people in the country who are poor and invite them to join the military. the POOR not only serves the country but earns a MONEY. AND POVERTY IS REDUCED AS WELL AS UNEMPLYMENT...

Nagpapatawa ka ba?

Arroyo approves extreme Metro Manila makeover


By Christian V. Esguerra, Julie M. Aurelio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:42:00 10/16/2009

Filed Under: Climate Change, Government, Disasters (general), Housing & Urban Planning, Flood, Pepeng, Ondoy


MANILA, Philippines — Pushed by the great flood brought about by Tropical Storm “Ondoy” (international codename: Ketsana), President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Thursday gave the go-signal for an urban development project that would rid Metro Manila of tens of thousands of informal settlers and modify its landscape.

At the Legislative and Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting in Malacañang, Sen. Edgardo Angara broached the idea of changing the “topography and geography” of parts of Metro Manila in the wake of Ondoy’s devastation, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

Remonde said Ms Arroyo was amenable to the proposal and wanted the project to take off from the 1977 Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Project.

He lamented that the project received what he called a “Mona Lisa treatment” from previous administrations that allowed it to “just lay there and die.”
“Why should we start from scratch when there is already something?” Remonde said at a media briefing after the Ledac meeting. “The idea here is to use the master plan as a starting point.”

Sus, sinisi pa yung ibang administrasyon, eh sila rin naman hindi nila pinansin. Walong taon na silang nakaupo sa pwesto ah.

Sus, sinisi pa yung ibang administrasyon, eh sila rin naman hindi nila pinansin. Walong taon na silang nakaupo sa pwesto ah.

Agree!:cheers:

I just want to share this one.

I have this meething with a foriegner customer who used to roam around Manila in the late 70's to early 80' and who knows the history of Philippines.

The good part of our discussion about Filipinos and Philippines was when he said "I know i can trust Filipinos. I dont have question with the skills, professionalism and sense of quality".

And the not so good part was when he asked "What happened to your country?".

All I could answer is the endless corruption and disunity between our officials. Then he asked again "Aren't you supposed to be a country of highly educated population and high moral standard due to your religion?".

I became speechless... :)

I really wish that there is a death penalty law for corrupt officials.

I just want to share this one.

I have this meething with a foriegner customer who used to roam around Manila in the late 70's to early 80' and who knows the history of Philippines.

The good part of our discussion about Filipinos and Philippines was when he said "I know i can trust Filipinos. I dont have question with the skills, professionalism and sense of quality".

And the not so good part was when he asked "What happened to your country?".

All I could answer is the endless corruption and disunity between our officials. Then he asked again "Aren't you supposed to be a country of highly educated population and high moral standard due to your religion?".

I became speechless... :)

I really wish that there is a death penalty law for corrupt officials.

We keep on putting leaders who are corrupt or leaders who want to make this country to remain poor so that they can continuously lord it over for many many more years.

These leaders control our economy and socio-political life (a.k.a. oligarchs, eco-political dynasties).

Even if all ordinary Pinoys are educated and religious...nothing will happen unless we as the slaves of these slave masters overthrow them.

But reality hurts.

If a guy like Nicanor Perlas-who is running as president this 2010- with integrity, a certified environmentalist, highly educated man but does not play with the devils in our society-he is immediately dismissed as a nuisance candidate compared to Noynoy and Teodoro, members of the elite and political dynasty and Villar, a members of the elite and powerful in the country.

Maybe, its time for us to look deeper into our choices...especiallly the leaders that control our lives in thsi country.

^^I am thinking that maybe this federalism thing will really work in our country...If our government/politicians will just give it a try, perhaps this will resolve our problems.

^^I am thinking that maybe this federalism thing will really work in our country...If our government/politicians will just give it a try, perhaps this will resolve our problems.

My greatest fear of federalism is that we are just giving political dynasties and warlords in the provinces or regions with more power.Giving them more little republics...

^^Well, at least not all of the entire federal republic will suffer...It's united we stand, divided we fall strategy.

Nagpapatawa ka ba?

this is not joke... but i hope this can be considered.
imagine if each poor family in the country can have atleast 1 member joining the military wherein salary of even the lowest soldier is ranging 10,000 and up...
everyone will be lifted from "poverty"...

this is not joke... but i hope this can be considered.
imagine if each poor family in the country can have atleast 1 member joining the military wherein salary of even the lowest soldier is ranging 10,000 and up...
everyone will be lifted from "poverty"...

I agree with you, but the question is.. does the afp have enough budget to make that happen?

Calamity Gloria

EDITORIAL
Daily Tribune
10/17/2009

Chutzpah, Gloria Arroyo certainly has, and in large measure.

She came out recently to state that rich nations should come to the aid of the typhoon-devastated Philippines by providing the bulk of funds for rehabilitating typhoon-ravaged areas, since the Philippines is a victim of climate change.

There she went speaking during a briefing, saying that in seeking foreign aid to fund relief and reconstruction efforts, what will be stressed is that the Philippines is “not a culprit of climate change,” as the country is the victim.

“We are not a climate maker but we certainly are a climate taker,” she said.

As is her wont, Gloria does not want to take the blame and responsibility and instead passes on all blame to climate change, and, as she justifies her “blameless” presidency and administration, she has the chutzpah to ask, nay, demand, that rich nations should come to the aid of the Philippines.

If she had been in the presidential office for say, only a year or two, this statement would have been understandable, but she has been in Malacañang for close to nine years now, yet she makes it out as though she is blameless in the matter of the country being victimized by climate change.

Just what has she done in all those close to nine years in the presidential office, which has assumed so much power?

Disasters, such as typhoons and earthquakes will always be upon the country, devastating major parts of the Philippines, but the answer to these disasters is not always seeking aid from the so-called rich countries, but to do something to mitigate these disasters.

Take the floods, for instance. Had Gloria and her administration, in the past eight years, done something, such as building more dams and water basins, as well as coming up with flood control measures that work, then perhaps even as it floods, waters would recede faster.

For years on end, there has been a tax collected from the movie industry for flood control projects. Just where did the funds go, since nothing, by way of flood control measures, has been done.

What about the illegal logging that hasn’t stopped? Why hasn’t anything been done in the past eight years to stop illegal logging, or, for that matter, reforesting areas with trees, to minimize soil erosion?

What did she do by way of getting the local government units (LGUs) and the national government to relocate the squatters who moreover throw their waste and garbage all over?

Why, after all this time in power and position, has Gloria not even bothered to come up with permanent evacuation centers, since all these disasters happen over and over again?

There were a hundred and one things that could have been done, if forward-looking attention was given by her and her government to lessen the impact of such disasters.

Instead, she goes off on very expensive trips abroad with huge delegations yet, and dines in luxurious restaurants, without a thought to such important matters.

But does she really care about all these, save for the money that she can get, whether by incurring more debts or obtaining financial donations from foreign governments, which are hardly being accounted for anyway by Gloria?

That she does not truly care about these matters can be evidenced by the fact that even as a typhoon named “Frank” devastated parts of the country, she refused to come home from her US trip and attend to the devastation wrought by the typhoon.

Instead, she stayed in the US, waiting for the chance to get a photo-op with US President Barack Obama. That appeared to be more important to her than attending to the calamity victims. Worse, even as she says, through propaganda, that she has ordered the release of funds for such calamities, no such funds have really been released. To this day, the victims of typhoon Frank await rehabilitation measures from the Gloria government.

A victim of climate change when she did nothing in her close to nine years in power?

More accurate is that the Filipinos are the hapless victims of Calamity Gloria.

this is not joke... but i hope this can be considered.
imagine if each poor family in the country can have atleast 1 member joining the military wherein salary of even the lowest soldier is ranging 10,000 and up...
everyone will be lifted from "poverty"...


why not forest rangers, street sweepers? to solve the pressing problem we have right now.

this is not joke... but i hope this can be considered.
imagine if each poor family in the country can have atleast 1 member joining the military wherein salary of even the lowest soldier is ranging 10,000 and up...
everyone will be lifted from "poverty"...

^ really? how can one be a military?

why not forest rangers, street sweepers? to solve the pressing problem we have right now.

Yes, agree with forest rangers.

Also environmentalists, meteorologists, entrepreneural farmers and fishermen, welders, machinists, metallurgical engineers, agronomists, entrepreneurial grad, development studies graduates..
Yung hindi kayang mag-aral ng 4-5 year course o ayaw ng mag-aral kumuha ng technical-vocational course in computer technology, electricals, welding and auto mechanic.


Tama na ang graduate ng nursing, business administration at law...

Thailand Threatens to Delay ASEAN Pact Over Rice
Source: Reuters
19/10/2009

The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- of which Thailand and the Philippines are members -- are due to ratify an ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) at their summit in Thailand this week. The trade pact is among the steps that ASEAN, with a combined population of 540 million, is taking towards becoming an EU-style grouping.

"Thailand will make its final proposal at the ASEAN summit meeting this weekend that it would not ratify the ATIGA pact if it cannot get fair deals from the Philippines on the rice issue," a senior Commerce Ministry official told Reuters.

Thai Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai was quoted as saying in a local newspaper that Thailand could not accept the Philippines' offer to compensate for its delay in cutting tariffs on rice imports by giving Thailand an annual tariff-free rice import quota, saying the amount was too small.

According to the ASEAN free trade pact, Philippine rice import tariffs should be cut to 20 percent from 40 percent by Jan. 1, 2010.

But Manila is insisting that rice is classified under a "highly sensitive list" that allows import tariffs to stay at 35 percent.

The Philippines is proposing to give Thailand a quota of 50,000 tonnes of tariff-free rice annually to compensate for not meeting the tariff target, while Thailand has demanded 360,000 tonnes, another senior Commerce Ministry official said.

Trade ministers from the two countries need to try to resolve the dispute during the ASEAN summit this weekend at Thailand's beach town of Hua Hin, the official said.

"It depends on the policy-makers whether they want ASEAN to move on, or to be such a less progressive trade cooperation," he said.

Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter, exported 10 million tonnes of rice in 2008 of which 599,677 tonnes went to the Philippines, the world's biggest rice importer, according to Thailand's Commerce Ministry data.

From January to August 2009, Manila bought 116,322 tonnes of rice from Thailand, mostly premium grade for high-end restaurants. Vietnam has mainly snatched the market for lower quality rice grades by offering better prices, traders said.
http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/26455/rice/Tariff/Thailand/thailand-threatens-delay-asean-pact-rice.html

From the world's biggest rice exporter to the worlds's biggest rice importer... Kelan kaya aayus ang agriculture sa pilipinas?????

From the world's biggest rice exporter to the worlds's biggest rice importer... Kelan kaya aayus ang agriculture sa pilipinas?????

Even if we managed to significantly increase our rice produce we won't be able to produce enough to feed everyone in the Philippines. Why? Because our population growth rate is high, this will negate all effort to increase our rice yield. Another reason is that rice planting needs continuous land and very good source of irrigation which Thailand has - the Mekong delta for irrigation and a continuous land and a smaller population. Our population is growing faster which in turn requires space there by converting agri-land to housing aggravating further our problem of rice sufficiency. If we don't want to import rice we need to have a very good program for our population control, then we can look at IRRI and PRRI for high yielding, flood, drought, pest resistant rice to be used for planting.

One more thing, we should stop listening to religiouos leader coz they only know two things - praying and pointing finger. Praying without working is like cultivating without planting, we need to work hard and pray harder.

From the world's biggest rice exporter to the worlds's biggest rice importer... Kelan kaya aayus ang agriculture sa pilipinas?????We were never the world's biggest rice exporter. In fact, we have always been importing since time immemorial except for the late 60's during Marcos.

Even if we managed to significantly increase our rice produce we won't be able to produce enough to feed everyone in the Philippines. Why? Because our population growth rate is high, this will negate all effort to increase our rice yield. Another reason is that rice planting needs continuous land and very good source of irrigation which Thailand has - the Mekong delta for irrigation and a continuous land and a smaller population. Our population is growing faster which in turn requires space there by converting agri-land to housing aggravating further our problem of rice sufficiency. If we don't want to import rice we need to have a very good program for our population control, then we can look at IRRI and PRRI for high yielding, flood, drought, pest resistant rice to be used for planting.That's right. Our rice sufficiency is basically affected by our geography, demography, topography and most of all financial capacity.

From the world's biggest rice exporter to the worlds's biggest rice importer... Kelan kaya aayus ang agriculture sa pilipinas?????

In 2006, the Philippines was the 8th largest rice producing country while Thailand was the 6th. The largest rice producing countries of course were the Big 2 - China and India which accounted for more than half of the world's rice production. It's more important that we produce more rice than to be the world's number one exporter. Thailand consumes rice less than what it produces. Maybe, we can use corn and wheat as alternatives, though, rice is better than others in making noodles...if I'm not mistaken.

Even if we managed to significantly increase our rice produce we won't be able to produce enough to feed everyone in the Philippines. Why? Because our population growth rate is high, this will negate all effort to increase our rice yield. Another reason is that rice planting needs continuous land and very good source of irrigation which Thailand has - the Mekong delta for irrigation and a continuous land and a smaller population. Our population is growing faster which in turn requires space there by converting agri-land to housing aggravating further our problem of rice sufficiency. If we don't want to import rice we need to have a very good program for our population control, then we can look at IRRI and PRRI for high yielding, flood, drought, pest resistant rice to be used for planting.

One more thing, we should stop listening to religiouos leader coz they only know two things - praying and pointing finger. Praying without working is like cultivating without planting, we need to work hard and pray harder.

It's true, the countries around and near the Mekong River and Delta (China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar) have expansive productive fields good for rice planting. These countries too belong to the world's top 7 rice producers. Although, Vietnam's population is nearly as large as ours, it is the world's 2nd biggest exporter. Come to think of it, these countries before studied in Los Banos. Now, they are reaping the fruits of the knowledge they have acquired from the Philippines. Controlling the population growth is nearly as impossible as imposing chastity, but we can look on the studies made by IRRI and PRRI for high yielding varieties. Almost all provinces here plant rice, though, the problem is, people want jobs other than planting.

^^
Perhaps the theme should be............. "Make Planting as Comfortable and Easy as Possible".

Needed: Economists, not accountants, to manage the Philippine economy


Perspective

Written by Walden Bello

Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:47

WHY did I vote against the 2010 budget? The main reason is that it violates economic wisdom. You don’t cut capital outlays when the economy is going down the tubes. You engage in countercyclical spending, that is, increase government expenditures to counteract the contraction of the private sector.

We will be lucky to grow by 1 percent this year. We will be lucky, indeed, to escape negative growth in 2010. Yet this budget cuts capital expenditures by 22 percent from their level in 2009. The recent typhoons are one more important reason why we must aggressively spend—to repair critical infrastructure that have been extensively damaged by Ondoy and Pepeng so the economy can get back on track.

Global recovery in 2010?

The cutbacks in capital outlays are justified by rosy projections about the recovery of the global economy in 2010. The state of the global economy is critical since the Philippines is an export-oriented economy, with its international trade coming to about 30 percent of gross domestic product.

Now, if there is one very prominent feature of the current recession, it is the way the global economy has wrong-footed the analysts so many times. Hardly any of the established institutions anticipated the recession before it began in 2008. Since it began, they have been busy trying to discern “green shoots” of recovery globally. These green shoots have turned out at every point to be false dawns, if I may be permitted to use a mixed metaphor. If the US economy, like many other center economies, is contracting at a slower rate than six months ago, that is not a recovery, and it certainly does not portend a recovery in 2010.

During the budget hearings, I bet my monthly salary of P35,000 that the global economy would be flat or experience negative growth in 2010. None of our economic managers—neither Mr. Gunigundo of the Central Bank, nor Mr. Teves of the Finance Department, nor Mr. Andaya of the Department of Budget Management, nor Mr. Santos of the National Economic Development Authority—took me up on this. The point I wanted to emphasize with this wager was that given the bleak prospects for real recovery in 2010, it is suicidal to cut capital expenditures.

30 years of starving the economy

The government is the biggest investor in any economy, and among all its expenditures, it is capital outlays that have the greatest multiplier effect. Moreover, government expenditures “crowd in” private investors, that is, they serve as a kind of confidence-building measure that stimulates investors to take risks in a field of economic activity.

The savaging of capital expenditures is not unique to this budget. It is one of the reasons the last 30 years have been a period of economic stagnation for our country. From constituting 26 percent of the budget during the Marcos period, capital outlays declined to 16 percent during the Aquino period to 11.9 percent today. In contrast, Thailand has raised capital spending to over 30 percent of the budget and Indonesia has maintained it at 45 percent and above. Is it any wonder our Asian neighbors have grown while we have lagged?

We are told that we have to cut capital outlays because we do not have the resources and revenues to sustain them, that we would worsen the government deficit. Yet, this coming year we are devoting 22 percent of the budget or P342 billion to debt servicing—far larger than the expected budget deficit of P250 billion!

Why this is the time for debt relief

The case for renegotiating our debts to lessen the burden of interest payments, for not paying odious debts or debts contracted under highly questionable conditions and circumstances, for declaring moratoria on debt repayments is stronger today than it has ever been. We not only have to cope with a global recession but with a string of natural disasters. The international community would be sympathetic to a move like declaring a moratorium of debt servicing at this juncture. What is lacking is boldness on the part of our economic managers to take advantage of our moral ascendancy.

Those countries such as Ecuador and Argentina that have taken moves to substantially restructure their debt have shown that fortune rewards the bold. Argentina, for instance, unilaterally decided to pay foreign bondholders only 25 cents for every dollar it owed them in 2002. The result: most of the bondholders accepted the government’s terms and Argentina grew by 10 percent per annum between 2003 and 2008 owing to the re-channeling into the domestic economy of financial resources that would otherwise have hemorrhaged as debt payments.

Now, in the case of the Philippines, we are not talking about unilaterally making moves but about negotiating with our creditors as a first step. But what are we told by eminent economic managers like Rep. Junie Cua, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee: that we should not even mention the word “renegotiation” because this would scare our creditors!

Maintaining the so-called “good debtor” policy and what Rep. Edcel Lagman has characterized as “the fetish for a small budget” are elements of an extremely conservative macroeconomic management that has straitjacketed the Philippine economy for close to 30 years now.

The great British economist John Maynard Keynes warned of the dangers of accounting substituting for economics. What we have in the Philippines are economic managers that are accountants, who are preoccupied with balancing accounts. The economist, on the other hand, sees the potential of an economy and takes the bold measures to make an economy reach its potential, knowing that dynamic growth will end up producing so much more than the resources initially expended to stimulate the economy. We need economists, not accountants, to manage the Philippine economy.



Walden Bello is a Member of the House of Representatives representing the party-list Akbayan, president of the Freedom from Debt Coalition, and senior analyst of the research and advocacy institute Focus on the Global South.

Price tag of Asean progress: biodiversity loss
Business Mirror
Written by Lyn Resurreccion / Science Editor
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/17705-price-tag-of-asean-progress-biodiversity-loss.html

SINGAPORE—The Asean region registered “impressive and dramatic progress” in the last 50 years, but this came with a “stiff price” in terms of the loss of biodiversity resources, the top executive of the Asean Center for Biodiversity (ACB) said on Thursday.

“We are losing our biodiversity resources and dramatically altering our ecosystems at unprecedented rates,” Rodrigo Fuentes, executive director of the ACB, said in a speech at the three-day Asean Conference on Biodiversity 2009, which started on October 21.

Of the 64,800 known species in the region, he said 1,313 are endangered, 80 percent of coral reefs are at risk, and deforestation rates are at least twice higher than in higher tropical areas.

“We have narrowed the genetic range of our endemic foods through agricultural intensification, and concentrated the production systems to varieties and species of food that have short rotation,” Fuentes said at the conference with the theme “Biodiveristy in focus: 2010 and beyond.”

However, he quickly said that “biodiversity loss is beyond losing plants and animals. It’s an issue of human survival, with the greatest impact on the poor.”

He said it is a real threat which could affect the lives of more than 500 million Southeast Asians.

Meanwhile, Singapore, which is known as a “garden city” owing to the trees and gardens that line its streets, is now working with the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other partner cities to develop the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity.

Grace Fu, Singapore’s senior minister of state for national development and education, said this will serve as a “self-assessment tool” that cities could use to evaluate their own biodiversity-conservation efforts.

The draft Singapore Index is being tested by the cities of Brussels, Curitiba, Edmonton, Joodalup, Montreal, Nagoya and by Singapore itself.

Fu said in a speech at the conference the measure would help cities benchmark the success of their efforts and enhance urban biodiversity in the long term.

Fuentes said species of both plants and animals that overwhelm and replace the region’s more endemic and beneficial species were allowed in. The region’s natural assets and heritage are decimated by illegal trade in wildlife.

“Unbridled economic activities have caused unwarranted pollution that leads to the destruction to our ecosystem and their natural functions,” he said.

While there was no available estimate on the cost of the region’s development to the ecosystem, Fuentes cited a 12-year ago estimate of the global ecosystem services at $33.3 trillion, while the global gross national product was valued at $18 trillion.

“Clearly, the measured benefit of economic progress is not even enough to even pay for the value of ecosystems services,” said the executive of the four-year old ACB.



Asean, a treasure trove of biodiversity resources

Fuentes said Asean is known to be a “treasure trove” of biodiversity resources—so much so that although it occupies only 3 percent of the earth’s total surface, its diverse landscape, seascapes and ecosystem are home to more than 20 percent of all known plant, animal and marine species.

It has three mega-diverse countries (Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines); several biogeographical units (Malesia, Wallacea, Sundaland, Indo-Burma and the Central Indo-Pacific; a third of the world’s highly diverse coral reefs; and extensive mangrove forest areas that comprise a significant portion of the world’s total.

“Our biodiversity resources and the ecosystems that support it is our lifeline and is a crucial contributor to global environmental sustainability,” Fuentes said.

Fu added that the region’s vast mangrove cover “play an important role in protecting our shorelines and buffer coastal settlements” from the hazards of tsunamis.

Finally, biodiversity contributes significantly to the economy, supporting agriculture, pharmaceuticals, ecotourism and recreation.

Singapore’s holistic biodiversity plan Minister Fu said each Asean member-country can do much to conserve the region’s rich biodiversity by formulating their respective National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

“Such action plans lie at the heart of our biodiversity conservation efforts. The successful implementation of these plans at the local level is critical to reversing the rate of biodiversity loss in the region,” she said.

She added that biodiversity conservation plans should have a “holistic approach that balances the needs of nature conservation with the competing demands on their resources.”

She said it is important that biodiversity-related agencies work closely with agencies in charge of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, urban development, trade, industry and tourism to ensure that considerations on biodiversity are factored into the sectors.

Singapore, a small city-state of only 700 square kilometers, faces the challenges of the tradeoffs between conservation and development, Fu said.

“Recognizing our constraints, we have adopted a long-term and integrated approach toward land-use planning and nature conservation,” she said.

Fu emphasized that Singapore was able to retain its rich biodiverisity “despite rapid urbanization” in the past four decades through legislation protecting nature reserves, judicious land use, careful urban planning and sensitive development.

Its greening efforts have yielded almost half of the island under a “green cover.”

Singapore is home to 2,300 species of plants, 360 species of birds, 280 species of butterflies, a large variety of animals, a third of the world’s hard coral reefs and half of the number of seagrass species in Indo-Pacific.

“As the trend of urbanization continues, the conservation of biodiversity in cities is emerging as an important challenge that demands critical attention,” Fu said.

The Asean biodiverisity conference was held in time for the preparation for the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, and the 10th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, next year.

At the same time, Fuentes announced that as of October 1, ACB became a full-fledged international organization when the center’s establishment agreement received the required ratification of six of the 10 Asean member states in July, and the ratification of the host-country agreement between ACB and the Philippines was concurred in by the Philippine Senate in September.

Senate summons Favila on Asean tax-free accord
Business Mirror
Written by Butch Fernandez / Reporter
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/17703-senate-summons-favila-on-asean-tax-free-accord.html

THE Senate is set to summon Trade Secretary Peter Favila next week to explain what senators decried as a hush-hush implementation of an Asean agreement that would allow imported agriculture products into the country tax-free, to the detriment of local farmers.

Sen. Loren Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, pointed out that the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (Atiga), supposed to take effect on January 1, 2010, may not be legally enforced as senators have yet to give their concurrence to the accord, as provided in the Philippine Constitution.

She cited a constitutional provision which states, in part, that no treaty or international agreement shall be valid unless concurred in by two-thirds vote of the Senate. “If it [Atiga] is an international agreement, why was it not submitted to the Senate?” she asked. “The Senate was kept in the dark,” she added.

In an impromptu press conference, Legarda told reporters she received information that Favila signed the Atiga in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 26, 2009, but it was “intentionally kept from the public.”

According to her, the Atiga, reportedly part of the Asean Free Trade Agreement, was initially set to take effect on 2015 but the new tariff schedule was accelerated to 2010. It was touted to be an accord that would allow the free flow of goods among Asean countries, but Legarda voiced fears it would open the floodgates and allow cheap products into the country without paying duties and taxes.

Apart from the Philippines, among the other signatories to the accord are Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Vietnam. Legarda learned, however, that Indonesia has requested for a two-year grace period before implementing the accord. She suggested that the Philippines ask for a similar deferment.

She warned that the Atiga will, in effect, waive billions of pesos in revenues from duties and taxes at a time when the country is hard put looking for additional resources to deal with the calamity caused by recent typhoons. “We are forgoing revenues while we are begging for aid from foreign donors.”

Legarda is concerned that the tariff accord would also kill the livelihood of farmers and other local food producers because the government failed to provide safety nets for them in anticipation of the effectivity of the agreement.

“I am alarmed so I am appealing to the government to seek its deferment for humanitarian reasons,” she said. “Why are we in a hurry when this will adversely affect our people?”

In a separate letter to President Arroyo, the Federation of Philippine Industries Inc. (FPII), also voiced misgivings about the impact on businesses once the Atiga is enforced. FPII warned that some businesses may be so badly hurt as to close down, contributing to unemployment.

GMA off to Asean meet
Business Mirror
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/17669-gma-off-to-asean-meet.html

PRESIDENT Arroyo will be leaving for Thailand to attend the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Leaders’ Summit and Related Summits there, after Typhoon Ramil showed signs of weakening, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said the President’s scheduled Thailand trip from October 23 to 25 “remains the same unless there is a significant change in our weather disturbance.”

Golez said the President may have bilateral meetings with leaders of Australia, China and Japan at the sidelines of the Asean Summit and Related Summits in the seaside resorts of Cha-Am and Hua Hin, but that this is being finalized by the Department of Foreign Affairs with their foreign counterparts.

He said that if the bilateral meetings push through, the President is expected to discuss with her counterparts climate change and the environment, in general; and  trade and investments.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, an economic adviser to the President, also said earlier that the President may make a pitch for a $5-billion Asean Cooperative Adaptation Fund at the Leaders’ Summit.

A Palace statement said the President will join other Asean leaders in announcing the establishment of an Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, which the Philippines had lobbied for.

Asean leaders are also expected to sign the Cha-am-Hua Hin Declaration on Strengthening Cooperation on Education to Achieve an Asean Caring and Sharing Community, and the Asean Declaration on Climate Change to affirm the Asean position on the negotiations under the United Nations Frameworks Convention on Climate Change. Asean foreign ministers will also sign the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of Asean.

Apart from the 15th Asean Summit, related meetings at the summit level include the 12th Asean-China Summit, the 12th Asean-Japan Summit, the 12th Asean-Republic of Korea Summit, the 7th Asean-India Summit, the 12th Asean Plus Three Summit with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and the 4th East Asia Summit with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The Asean groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam; its dialogue partners are China, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.

BIMP-Eaga, too

The signing of a framework of cooperation with China and strengthening of food production and the operation of small and medium enterprises would mark this year’s summit in Thailand of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga).

President Arroyo announced she will lead the country’s delegation to the summit on October 25 in Thailand’s Royal Beach Resort in Hua Hin.

The BIMP-Eaga framework of cooperation with China will be signed on the eve of the summit. For several years before, China, South Korea, Japan and the Northern Territory of Australia have been observers in the growth area.


A statement released by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), the appointed Philippine secretariat of the BIMP-Eaga, said the signing of the framework of cooperation was part of the subregion’s policy of expansion of its partnership with other countries.

The areas of cooperation with China include agriculture, forestry, fishery, tourism, mineral exploration, energy and other natural resources, infrastructure, human resources development, development of alternative sources of fuel, and finance.

The summit also focuses on the opportunities for cooperation in food production and development of small and medium enterprise, enhancement of intra-Eaga connectivity and promotion of the subregion as an ecotourism destination.

Joining Arroyo’s entourage are Sen. Miriam Santiago, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Presidential Adviser for Mindanao and Philippine-Eaga Signing Minister Jesus Dureza, Medco chairman Virgilio Leyretana, and Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz, also the Philippine Senior Official for BIMP-Eaga.

The Philippine delegation will also be joined by key private sector and local government representatives.

Japan PM says East Asia should aspire to lead world--report (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20091024-232034/Japan-PM-says-East-Asia-should-aspire-to-lead-world--report)


Agence France-Presse
First Posted 12:41:00 10/24/2009

Filed Under: ASEAN, Foreign affairs & international relations, Economy and Business and Finance

HUA HIN, Thailand -- Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said a proposed East Asian community should aspire to lead the world, it was reported Saturday as he held talks at a regional summit.

Hatoyama has outlined a long-term vision for a European Union-style alliance including Japan, China, South Korea, the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), India, Australia, and New Zealand.

The leaders of all those countries are currently in the Thai beach resort of Hua Hin for a regional summit where discussions on growing integration across the region are expected to dominate.

"It would be meaningful for us to have the aspiration that East Asia is going to lead the world and with the various countries with different regimes cooperating with each other towards that perspective," Hatoyama, who took office last month, told the Bangkok Post newspaper.

"I am not saying that an East Asia Community is something that can be realized overnight," he said in the interview, conducted in Tokyo ahead of the talks.

While a common currency would have "significant meaning", he said it was important the countries first advance economic initiatives and cooperate on education, disaster management and climate change.

He described Japan's alliance with the United States as "the fundamental cornerstone" of its foreign policy, but said: "At the same time Japan is an Asian country and we need to further strengthen our relationship and trust with Asia".

He said the region should work together to "try to reduce as much as possible the gaps, the disparities that exist amongst the Asian countries".
He stated China would "doubtless" grow further, particularly economically. "But I do not necessarily regard that as a threat," he added.

:)

Asian nations look to 'lead world'
(http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20091024-232040/Asian-nations-look-to-lead-world)
HUA HIN—Asian nations discussed plans at a major summit Saturday to "lead the world" by boosting economic and political cooperation and possibly forming an EU-style community.

The prime ministers of regional giants China and India also looked to foster unity on the sidelines of the summit in Thailand after months of trading barbs over long-standing territorial issues.

But nuclear-armed North Korea and military-ruled Myanmar were also set to top the agenda in the royal beach resort of Hua Hin, underscoring the challenges still facing the region.

The summit groups the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with regional partners China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said a proposed East Asian community involving all 16 countries should aspire to take a leading role as the region makes an early rebound from the global economic crisis.

"It would be meaningful for us to have the aspiration that East Asia is going to lead the world and with the various countries with different regimes cooperating with each other towards that perspective," Hatoyama, who took office last month, told the Bangkok Post newspaper.

He described Japan's alliance with the United States as the cornerstone of its foreign policy, but said the region should "try to reduce as much as possible the gaps, the disparities that exist amongst the Asian countries".

China would "doubtless" grow further, particularly economically, "but I do not necessarily regard that as a threat," Hatoyama said.

Officials said separately that East Asian nations would carry out a feasibility study for a huge free trade zone covering ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea and a larger group involving India, Australia and New Zealand.

Increased integration has been a recurring theme of the meetings in Thailand, as the rapidly changing region seeks to capitalize on the fact that it has recovered more quickly from the recession than the West.

ASEAN leaders have been discussing plans to create their own political and economic community by 2015.

But cross-border spats have continued to dog the summit, with host nation Thailand dragged into a war of words with Cambodia and India and China seeking to resolve their differences.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh held "productive" talks on the sidelines of the summit Saturday but did not discuss their spat over territorial issues, officials said.

"We have reached important consensus on promoting bilateral ties," Wen was quoted as saying by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua as the talks opened.

Beijing has voiced its opposition to a recent visit by Singh to Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian border state at the core of the dispute, and to a planned visit there next month by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

Arunachal Pradesh and the Dalai Lama were not discussed at Saturday's meeting, an Indian delegation official said. The two nations fought a border war in 1962.

Human rights issues have also marred the summit. A widely criticized rights body officially launched by ASEAN on Friday was due to have its first ever meeting on Saturday.

The bloc was caught up in a row on Friday when leaders barred several activists from meeting them as previously arranged.

Meanwhile Thailand and Cambodia remained at loggerheads over the fate of fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen bizarrely offered him a job as his economic adviser.

Around 18,000 troops and dozens of armored vehicles have been deployed in Hua Hin after it was twice postponed by anti-government protests, with another 18,000 on standby or on duty in Bangkok.

The leaders are expected to sign a host of agreements this weekend on economic and other issues including climate change, disaster management, communications and food security in the rapidly changing region.

^^
Very good! But before we go this large we must first be able to establish the ASEAN Community and this will follow. I'm starting to like China. If ever the East Asia Community would materialize then our region would have the largest Economy in the world. Combining many of the World's major Economic Powers e.g China, India, Japan and Australia.

I just want to share this one.

I have this meething with a foriegner customer who used to roam around Manila in the late 70's to early 80' and who knows the history of Philippines.

The good part of our discussion about Filipinos and Philippines was when he said "I know i can trust Filipinos. I dont have question with the skills, professionalism and sense of quality".

And the not so good part was when he asked "What happened to your country?".

All I could answer is the endless corruption and disunity between our officials. Then he asked again "Aren't you supposed to be a country of highly educated population and high moral standard due to your religion?".

I became speechless... :)

I really wish that there is a death penalty law for corrupt officials.

Let's start with Marcos who institutionalized corruption during his era. Let's not forget that. Cory Aquino couldn't do what her husband predicted should happen, enact draconian measures to undo the damage. She was stymied. Her relatives, and her supporters (many unfortunately came from the same school I went to), including some well known "nationalists" were like vultures. (I met a couple of those ex schoolmates, and they were talking about carving out some pieces of the old Marcos empire.) That's where you should begin. If you don't know the history, then you won't know how to answer the question. Death penalty doesn't solve it.

UBS upgrades RP, Indonesia, Thailand growth forecast (http://www.malaya.com.ph/oct30issue/business/busi6.html)
BY DWIGHT SARGA

The global financial firm UBS has upgraded its growth forecasts of Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand for 2010 due to "pent-up demand, the inventory cycle, fiscal and monetary policy."

UBS, in its Asean: 2011 Forecasts, hiked the Philippines gross domestic product forecast to 5 percent in 2010 from the earlier 4.6 percent. In 2011, RP would have 4.6 percent GDP. But it maintained its GDP forecast of 1.3 percent for 2009.

Indonesia was forecast to post 6 percent GDP in 2010 from earlier 5.3 percent. It would also have a GDP of 6 percent in 2011, and 4.5 percent in 2009 from earlier forecast of 4 percent. Thailand would have a 6 percent GDP in 2010 from the earlier forecast of 5 percent, and a 5 percent growth in 2011. In 2009, it would now have a negative 2.9 percent growth from the earlier negative 3 percent growth.

UBS has earlier revised its forecast for Singapore and Malaysia.

The report, written by UBS Economist Edward Teather, said that growth momentum would be "slowing towards more sustainable rates in the second half of 2010 to 2011."

In the Asean-5 forecast, the report said Asean annual real GDP growth rates will show a marked recovery from the weakness in 2009 due to "loose monetary and fiscal policy settings in 2009 along with the inventory cycle and pent-up demand in the more open economies."

The report added that the growth momentum would fade in the second half of 2010 leading to a slower 2011 growth on average.

It noted that short term money interest rates have fallen more sharply in Singapore, Thailand and Philippines, connoting more easing in monetary conditions.

While budget deficits would have expanded significantly in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, signaling easier fiscal policy settings.

"With policy stimulus lifting confidence through improved cash flow and income expectations, a faster snap back in economic activity where it was reduced most is underway (in Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand)."

There would be stronger quarter-on-quarter growth for Q3 in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand just like what it recorded in Q2, UBS said.

UBS said that year-on-year inflation rates are in the process of bottoming out in Asean, and the rate of inflation in 2010 would depend more on capacity constraints, food and energy price trends and monetary policy settings than base effects.

It noted that excess capacity in globally manufactured goods markets would have a disinflationary effect in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. But "in Indonesia, and to a lesser extent the Philippines…the importance of locally produced goods and relatively closed economies mean domestic capacity constraints to a greater extent." UBS said that underlying rates of consumer price index (CPI) in Asean would gradually go back to their averages in the decade.

But "normal" inflation would be elevated in the Philippines and Indonesia due to tight capacity constraints and double-digit broad money growth.

UBS said that high inflation would depress the Indonesia rupiah on a nominal trade-weighted basis and limit Philippine peso appreciation. But "once domestic price changes are accounted for," the peso and rupiah would appreciate in real terms in 2011.

Peso would appreciate due to remittance flow-driven current account surplus, and rupiah due to expectations of strong domestic growth.

In the Philippines, UBS noted that the flooding in Metro Manila due to typhoon Ondoy would have a relatively modest impact on Q4 2009 growth "with an offset in Q1 2010 as rebuilding progresses."

It added that sensitivity of inflation to commodity prices in Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia is high.

Ayala group bats for sustainable development

By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:14:00 11/04/2009

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance

THE 175-YEAR-OLD AYALA conglomerate is recalibrating its group-wide business model to make a more significant contribution to society, alongside the traditional goal of sustaining growth and profitability, thus raising the bar for all corporations in the country.

In a press briefing Wednesday, Ayala Corp. chair and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and president and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala vowed that under their leadership, the group would pursue more aggressively the so-called “triple bottom line” approach—referring to impact on profit, people and the planet—in measuring corporate success.

This year, six publicly listed companies of the group—Ayala Corp., Ayala Land Inc., Cebu Holdings, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecom and Manila Water Co.—published reports for 2008 utilizing the global reporting initiative (GRI) reporting guidelines.

This is the first time that a Philippine conglomerate has published this kind of report for itself and all of its main business units.

The group is also holding a “Sustainability Summit” on Nov. 10 to provide direction and additional impetus for its companies to make significant adjustments to their strategies, business models, products and operations.

“The sustainability report is widening the framework so that on the economic front, we’re saying it’s not just about profits. It’s also about employment statistics; it’s about the taxes we pay, the capital expenditures and investments we’re making. That’s one component,” Jaime Augusto, the elder of the Zobel siblings, said.

“The second is the social impact, how we’re affecting communities and finally there’s environmental impact. We’re taking this new way of looking at the business engagement and it deserves its own report,” he added.

Eleven indicators covering economic performance, indirect economic impact, energy consumption, water use, emissions and waste, products and services, employment practices, education and training and product responsibility are covered in the report, which complies with the level “C” application of the GRI guidelines.

“Businesses are talking beyond more than just mere governance and are starting to talk about what their footprint is in society,” said Fernando, the younger Zobel.

“For a very long time, businesses have focused only on profitability and growth. What you’re gonna see is a more balanced approach to growth,” he said.

The approach, thus, goes beyond mere corporate governance reforms or project-specific corporate social responsibility activities as it incorporates the building of viable enterprises out of deeper social involvement.

Two key examples cited during the press briefing yesterday were the Ayalas’ venture into the water distribution business via Manila Water as well as the recent launch of the first mobile microfinance bank “BPI Globe Banko, A Savings Bank.”

Citing the case of Manila Water, the younger Zobel said: “It’s a business we’ve never been into and was an opportunity to move into an industry that was very inefficient but was a basic need. And it has been profitable for us. It had been very revealing and a great learning process.”

He added that Manila Water was able to come up with a pricing structure that would sustain the business while making it affordable to even the poorest communities to have access to reliable supply of water.

He also noted that Manila Water was now starting to go into waste treatment in order to address environmental issues, without having to wait for any state intervention to clean up the Pasig River, for instance.

Neoliberalism in the Philippines Rise, Apogee, Crisis

Perspective
Written by Walden Bello
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 19:32

First of 2 parts

NEOLIBERALISM is a perspective that champions the market as the prime regulator of economic activity and seeks to limit the intervention of the state in economic life to a minimum. In recent times it has become identified with economics, given its hegemony as a paradigm within the discipline, that is, its excluding other perspectives as legitimate ways of doing economics.

Since economics is regarded in many quarters as a hard science, much like physics—being, for instance, the only social science for which there is a Nobel Prize—neoliberalism has had a tremendous and pervasive influence not only in academic circles but in policy circles as well. While the University of Chicago became the font of academic wisdom, in technocratic circles the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank were seen as the key institutions that translated this theory into policy, to a set of practical prescriptions that were applicable to all economies.

It is often surprising to realize how relatively recent neoliberalism has become a hegemonic paradigm. As late as the latter half of the 1970s, Keynesian economics, which promoted a good dose of state intervention as necessary for stability and steady growth, was the orthodoxy. In what used to be known as the Third World, developmentalism, which specified Keynesian economics to economies that were still insufficiently penetrated and transformed by capitalism, was the dominant approach. There was a conservative brand of developmentalism and there was a progressive one, but both saw the state, rather than the market, as the central mechanism of development.

In the Philippines, neoliberalism first came in the form of the structural adjustment program imposed by the World Bank in the early 1980s, in the latter’s effort to strengthen the economy’s capacity to service its massive external debt. Structural adjustment helped trigger the economic crisis of the early 1980s, its contractionary effects being magnified by the onset of the global recession. The crisis was the country’s worst since the Second World War, but the role of neoliberal economics in precipitating it was shrouded by its coinciding with the deep political crisis triggered by the Aquino assassination in August 1983. To most Filipinos, Marcos was the cause of both crises.

Triumph by default?

It was during the Aquino period that neoliberal economics started its rise to ideological ascendancy. It is worthwhile to examine the reasons for the ease with which it captured the heights of both academia and the technocracy during this period.

First of all, it was associated with several high-powered activist intellectuals and technocrats close to the Aquino administration who had been greatly influenced by the Reagan and Thatcher free-market experiments in the United States and Britain. These included economist Bernie Villegas and Cory Aquino’s secretary of finance Jesus Estanislao. Another key center of emergent neoliberalism was the University of the Philippines School of Economics, which had drafted the extremely influential anti-Marcos White Paper on the Philippine economy in 1985.

Second, the analysis forwarded by these intellectuals was in synch with the popular mood. This located the economic troubles of the country in what had come to be known as “crony capitalism,” or the use of state agencies to advance the private interests of a few close associates of the dictator. The direct assault on the Keynesian state as the source of inefficiency, which was the most prominent feature of Thatcherism and Reaganism, was a subsdiary element in the case made for market freedom.

Third, there were simply no credible alternatives to neoliberalism. Keynesian developmentalism, which promoted the role of the state as the strategic factor in the first phase of the ascent to development, was compromised by its personification in the Marcos dictatorship. As for the left’s vision of “nationalist industrialization” or the “national democratic” economy, this hardly went beyond rhetorical flourishes and had been hardly popularized in the period prior to the Edsa Uprising, perhaps owing to the priority that the Communist Party placed on the anti-fascist struggle, which demanded underplaying the view that national democracy was the antechamber to socialism in order to form as wide a front as possible with anti-dictatorial elements of the elite. Then, after the Edsa Uprising, the articulation of an alternative was derailed by the left’s preoccupation with the consequences of its failure to participate in the final act of the ouster of Marcos.

In short, the neoliberal perspective triumphed by default, and this absence of credible alternatives domestically was complemented by four developments internationally: the collapse of centralized socialism in Eastern Europe, which seemed to deliver the coup d’grâce to the socialist alternative; the crisis of the Swedish social democratic model; the seeming success of the Reagan and Thatcher Revolutions in revitalizing the American and British economies; and the rise of the East Asian newly industrializing countries. All four had an impact on the thinking of the middle class and the elites, which are, incidentally, called the “chattering classes” because of their central discursive role in legitimizing social and political perspectives.

How the Asian Miracle was interpreted by the Neoliberals

It is worthwhile to note how the rise of our neighboring economies was interpreted by neoliberals in the Philippines since this shows the ideological and mystifying character of neoliberalism. In the view of the neoliberals, the key to the success of our neighbors was the hegemony of the market. As Jesus Estanislao put it, “Government takes very good care of macroeconomic balances, takes care of a number of activities like, for example, infrastructure building, and leaves everything else to the private sector. And that is exactly what Singapore, Malaysia , Indonesia and Thailand have done, and that is what the Philippines is doing, and we are beginning to do it.”

The reality, however, was that while it is true that in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand the state may have played a less aggressive role than in Korea and Taiwan, an activist state posture—manifested in industrial policy, protectionism, mercantilism and intrusive regulation—was central in the drive to industrialize. For instance, Thailand began to register the 8- to 10-percent growth rates that dazzled the world, when it was moving to a “second stage of import substitution”—the use of trade policy to create the space for the emergence of an intermediate goods sector—during the second half of the 1980s.

In the case of Malaysia, while it is true that some privatization and deregulation favoring private interests took place in the late 1980s, it would be a mistake to overestimate the impact of these policies. The state oil company, Petronas, consistently rated one of East Asia’s best-run firms, and one of the most innovative and successful enterprises in the whole East Asian region, was a state-directed joint venture between a state-owned firm and a foreign automobile corporation, Mitsubishi, which produced the so-called Malaysian car, the Proton Saga. The Saga, which came to control two-thirds of the domestic market and turned a profit for its producers, exemplified all the sins of industrial policy that neoclassical economists such as Estanislao had warned against: discriminatory tax treatment of competitors, strategic industrial targeting or a systematic plan to manipulate market incentives to create a local car industry, and forced local sourcing of components to encourage the growth of local supplier industries.

In Indonesia, the state remained throughout the 1980s and 1990s the key actor in the economy, with state enterprises contributing about 30 percent of total GDP and close to 40 percent of nonagricultural GDP. Capital expenditures as a percentage of the government budget came to 47 percent in Indonesia, while Thailand hiked the figure from 23 to 33 percent. In contrast, in the Philippines, Aquino’s technocrats pushed down capital expenditures as a proportion of the national budget from 26 to 16 percent. Since the government is the biggest investor in any economy, this radical reduction of capital outlays as our neighbors maintained or increased theirs could not but have an impact in economic performance. While the Philippines languished with 1- to 2-percent annual growth for most of the Aquino period, our neighbors enjoyed 6- to 10-percent growth rates.

In sum, our neoliberal technocrats were dazzled to the point of envy by our neighbors’ performance, but they did not correctly identify the reason for this. They claimed it was the market when in reality it was the state. While some liberalization was going on in our neighbors’ economies, it was selective liberalization pursued in the context of strategic protectionism driven by the state, the objective of which was to deepen the industrial structure. This conclusion was readily available at the empirical level, but the paradigm that our technocrats had settled on screened out these data, to put it in Kuhnian terms.

The apogee of Neoliberalism

Ideas, unfortunately, do have consequences, and perhaps no development illustrates this more than the effort to make the Philippines a NIC (“newly industrializing country” by the year 2000, as the slogan went, via globalization: that is, the accelerated integration of the Philippines into the global market and production circuits through radical trade and investment liberalization. The administration of President Fidel Ramos saw neoliberalism at its most doctrinaire and most influential phase.

What we might call the “neoclassification” of the Philippine technocracy that became so marked under Ramos did not so much exhibit the character of an intellectual coup as that of a gradual takeover of the strategic heights of the technocracy by free market-oriented policymakers coming from academia, government and business, many of whom had done graduate work in the 1970s and 1980s in the United States and Britain, when state-oriented Keynesianism had lost its luster and neoliberalism had come into vogue in the economics departments of US universities. A number did their postgraduate stint in the staffs of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, including Ramos’s Finance Minister Roberto de Ocampo. As one pivotal figure pointed out to Focus on the Global South analyst Joy Chavez, she and her colleagues who played prominent roles of the country’s free-market turn acted not only out of external pressure from the World Bank and the IMF but also out of belief. “Imposed, maybe in one way, but on the other hand, the mainstream decision-makers—[the] technocracy and policymakers—also internally believed in that. So there’s a confluence of policy direction.” Another figure stressed the emergence of a broader “consensus” among the elite and the middle class around free-market reform: “[No] policy reform becomes credible, workable policies unless the people accepted [them]. Yes, there were researchers and economists pushing for that, yes there were donor communities pushing for that…but ultimately it is a question of whether the public accepts that policy.”

In any event, the neoliberal revolution had achieved a critical mass by the time Ramos came to power, and its hegemony was consolidated during his administration. “It’s the dominant sector,” one player put it. “It’s the president, it’s his chief economic advisers, both formal and informal; the House of Representatives; the Senate—the mainstream. The mainstream is pushing for liberalization.” That player would herself become president in 2001.

The centerpiece of the neoliberal program during this period was tariff liberalization: Executive Order 264 committed the Philippines to bringing down tariffs on all but a few sensitive products to 1 to 5 percent by 2004. The model for Cielito Habito, the secretary of the National Economic Development Authority who was the brains behind this enterprise, was the radical neoliberal tariff reforms conducted in Chile under the dictator August Pinochet, which had brought tariffs to 11 percent or under. If the Chileans could manage to bring down their tariffs to 11 percent, surely the Philippines could bring them to 5 percent or below! In their eagerness to catch up with our neighbors, what our Filipino technocrats saw was only Chile’s not unimpressive growth rate, not the deindustrialization and enormous social crises induced by its free-market policies.

In addition to radical tariff liberalization, the foreign investment regime was liberalized, banking rules were loosened to allow more foreign banks to set up operations in the country, and the capital account was almost fully liberalized to attract speculative investors by making the peso fully convertible, allowing the full and immediate utilization of profits, and the full utilization of foreign currency accounts. Indeed, in the administration’s drive to catch up with its neighbors, attracting speculative investment by eliminating barriers to capital entry and exit became the cutting edge of its globalization strategy.

The administration also moved to ensure that liberalization would be hard to reverse by succeeding regimes by multilateralizing it, that is, make the Philippines party to international agreements requiring it to eliminate quotas and keep tariffs low permanently. Thus, the Philippines joined the Asean Free Trade Area, with its Common Effective Preferential Tariff program. Under this scheme, by next year, 2010, all tariffs, except those on rice, will be reduced at 0 to 5 percent. More important, the Philippines joined the World Trade Organization in 1995, a move which required revising a whole slew of laws governing trade, investment and intellectual property rights to make our legal code “WTO-consistent.” To be concluded on Tuesday

*Walden Bello is a member of the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines. Formerly professor of sociology at the University of the Philippines at Diliman, he is the author or coauthor of 15 books, the latest being Food Wars (London: Verso, 2009). He is president of the Freedom from Debt Coalition and senior analyst at the Bangkok-based research and advocacy institute Focus on the Global South. He may be reached at waldenbello@yahoo.com.TheThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it original version of this article was presented at the 2009 Convention of the Philippine Sociological Society at the PSSC Building, Quezon City, on October 16, 2009
IN PHOTO -- An elevated view shows shipping containers stacked at International Container Terminal Services Inc.’s port in Manila, September 25, 2009. In the Philippines’ drive to catch up with its neighbors, attracting speculative investment by eliminating barriers to capital entry and exit became the cutting edge of its globalization strategy. Nana Buxani/Bloomberg

SUGGESTION TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT:
why not identify all the people in the country who are poor and invite them to join the military. the POOR not only serves the country but earns a MONEY. AND POVERTY IS REDUCED AS WELL AS UNEMPLYMENT...

^^:doh:I think you should win some award for OVER simplying how things work...

My friend, you should re-think what you just said and hopefully you will realize why what you just said is unttainable and makes little sense...

The ‘experts’ are bashing RP again


Written by John Mangun / Outside the Box
Monday, 09 November 2009 20:55

Economists are a part of the only profession in the world where forecasts and projections do not have to be accurate as long as they can (or try to) justify the analysis.

Eric LeBornge, senior economist for the World Bank’s Philippine office in Manila, wrote this on April 7, 2009. From the worldbank.org: “We have revised our estimate downward for the dollar growth rate of remittances to the Philippines to minus 4 percent.” This is after he writes earlier that, “Empirical research finds that, on the whole, remittances have been countercyclical in the Philippines.” That is economist-speak for “The Philippines does not follow the predictions. But this time, I guarantee, remittances will drop.”

Jump ahead to November 2009, and the WB reports: “The remarkable resiliency of remittance flows to the Philippines has been surprising but welcome.” And these people are the economic “experts.” Imagine if your doctor tells you this past April you have terminal cancer. Then seven months later, “Oops, remember that cancer thing? Surprise! I was wrong. I hope you didn’t make any decisions based on my faulty diagnosis.”

But this is the Philippines we are talking about, and that means even when the experts are wrong, they are still right. There is always something negative you can say about the Philippines.

Yesterday the BusinessMirror headline read “BPO boom masks failure” that quoted more of Mr. Le-Bornge’s fantastic economic analysis and quoted the WB’s latest “East Asia and Pacific Update.”

Of course, absolutely every “analysis” on the Philippines must include comments about how the Philippines lags the rest of the region in building its manufacturing base. “The Philippines was the most developed country in developing Asia in the 1950s, but subpar rates of growth, coupled with policies protecting inefficient manufacturing....” One time I asked one of the experts what goods he thought the Philippines should be manufacturing for export. I am still waiting for the answer.

We tried that manufacturing-for-export thing once: sports shoes. You probably remember the factories in Laguna making “rubber shoes.” That worked well. Within five years the Chinese had taken all that business because they did not have to put up with annoying little things like labor laws and labor unions. China has proven one economic truth in the last decade. If a country does not care about free speech, free assembly, free travel, basic worker rights, minimum-wage laws, they can become an economic miracle.

But back to LeBornge’s put-down of the Philippine outsourcing business. I can say honestly that a good portion of his and the WB’s analysis contains some of the worst, most ignorant and intellectually deficient material I have had the displeasure of reading.

The WB begins by saying, “Business-process outsourcing [BPO] focuses only on employing educated and skilled individuals.” That is typical of the elitist, socialist propaganda that comes from organizations like the WB. Their statement implies there is something wrong with providing employment to the educated. Yet these same people also complain when our best and brightest look abroad for employment.

You cannot have it both ways, and this analysis is dishonest. It serves only to bash the Philippines.

The article continues, “LeBorgne said employees in the BPO sector belong to families who cannot be considered poor or even near-poor.” LeBorgne is an ignorant donkey, to be polite. I challenge him to make and justify that statement to the tens of thousands of employees in this industry whose higher BPO salaries pay for basic necessities and the education of siblings which would otherwise go lacking. Shame on you for your ignorance, Mr. LeBorgne.

It is astounding to me that economists seem to lose reason when speaking of the Philippines. LeBornge also says that “employees of the BPO sector only contribute to poverty reduction indirectly through tax collection.” A basic tenet when examining the economic consequences of employment is to look at the multiplier effect of that employment. LeBornge would have us believe that no other jobs are created by directly employing 500,000 as agents in the outsourcing industry. This is completely false.

Take a call-center site that employs 800 agents. Those 800 are supported by 20 or more security personnel. Likewise 20 or more maintenance people also have jobs. There are also food-service people, drivers and other less-skilled individuals that benefit. And because these call-center agents are more highly educated and skilled, most came from other jobs in banks, hotels, you name it. And when they came to BPO, they left a job opening that could be filled by someone else.

Every job creates positive ripples throughout the economy. And the fact is that higher skills and, therefore, higher-paying jobs have a greater positive impact on the economy than low-skilled employment.

I know that you have heard this same argument from me many times. And I am going to continue to repeat it because someone must counter the foolishness that is constantly said about the Philippines.

There is a real danger listening to the ridiculous analysis of people like LeBornge. It is comparable to the computer axiom of “garbage in; garbage out.” Decisions based on faulty reasoning and analyses are faulty decisions. We see it in many other areas of the economy and in our policymaking.

Rational, reasonable and critical preservation of the environment has been replaced by climate-change hysteria based on false, manipulated and, at times, fraudulent information. Consequently, genuine action to protect the environment is substituted by meaningless, wasteful stupidity.

Is there a conspiracy to keep the Philippines down? Maybe. If the Philippines was not a poorer country, the “experts” might not have a job because perhaps no one else would listen to their nonsense.



PSE stock-market information and technical-analysis tools were provided by CitisecOnline.com Inc. E-mail comments to mangun@email.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

RP among states ‘least integrated’ in Asia-Pacific
Friday, November 13, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

SINGAPORE -- The Philippine economy remains among those that are "least integrated" with the Asia-Pacific region and economic ties have in fact become weaker over the past decade, according to a report released at the sidelines of an annual summit of Pacific rim countries.

The "State of the Region Report 2009-2010" released by the Singapore-based nonprofit Pacific Economic Cooperation Council said the region had become more integrated since the founding of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum 20 years ago, but members should pursue an even deeper integration.

The 2009 Composite Index of Asia-Pacific Economic Integration, which used 2006 data for 17 out of 21 APEC economies, said Singapore was the "most highly integrated with the Asia Pacific region," followed by Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei.

"The least integrated economy in 2006 was Indonesia, followed by China, the United States and the Philippines," the report said.

Hong Kong, New Zealand, Vietnam, and South Korea, meanwhile, became more integrated with the rest of the region between 1991 and 2006, while Indonesia, Mexico, and Singapore became less integrated.

Sought for comment, Trade Senior Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino downplayed the Philippines’ low integration score, saying in a text message: "The Philippines has ... a moderately-sized economy with internal markets that don’t make it highly dependent, or integrated, with other APEC economies."

University of Asia and the Pacific economist Victor A. Abola, for his part, said the results were "to be expected" considering the Philippines’ similarly poor integration within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

To improve integration, the Philippines would do well to broker more bilateral pacts with its trade partners, Mr. Abola said. Integrating within the APEC market, he added, is important for the Philippines as the grouping gathers together the country’s top export markets the US, China and Japan.

The index score for the Philippines was 8.39, down from 11.65 in last year’s report which used 2005 data, indicating weaker links with the rest of Asia-Pacific. This was also significantly lower from a peak of 15.7 in 1997, but better than 8.24 in 1990, the earliest period covered by the composite index.

Singapore topped the list with a score of 268.68. Indonesia and China were at the bottom with -20.22 and -4.48, respectively.

But the report cautioned that the index should not be treated as a "league table" in the sense that a higher ranking is superior, as a low ranking may simply indicate that an economy is "more oriented globally than regionally."

The Pacific council’s index was derived from indicators of "convergence," or whether the region’s economies are becoming more alike in their economic characteristics (real gross domestic product or GDP per capita, share of non-agricultural sector in GDP, ratio of urban residents to total population, life expectancy, and share of education expenditure in GDP), as well as the "relative importance of trade, investment and human flows within the region compared to economic relations with the rest of the world." The latter took into account the share of exports and imports, foreign direct investment flows, and tourist flows to or from other Asia-Pacific economies.

The index excluded trade and investment flows among geographically contiguous sub-regional trade agreements, namely the North American Free Trade Agreement, ASEAN free trade agreement, and Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations, to avoid a falsely high measure of integration.

The council, the only non-governmental official observer in APEC, said the new measure of integration launched last year was an indicator of the forum’s success as it marks its 20th year.

Philippine results were telling considering a peer review commissioned by APEC last July showed progress in trade liberalization, with tariff levels down to an average of 6.23% and most quantitative restrictions abolished except for rice.

The July review also noted that the Philippines has had "no major change on non-tariff measures," as it has been "consistent with its obligations in international treaties" particularly with respect to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Formed on 1989, APEC now accounts for 44% of world trade and 40% of world population. All 21 "member-economies" corner more than half of global economic output.

APEC, however, is often derided for being a mere talk shop as commitments are not binding. The group, originally intended to free up international trade and investment, now tackles other issues such as climate change.

APEC prefers members to unilaterally bring down tariffs and other trade barriers rather than craft deals, although a US-backed Free Trade Area of Asia and the Pacific is being considered.

A policy of "open regionalism" has also allowed members to pursue trade deals elsewhere, instead of becoming a single trading bloc like the European Union.

In 1994, APEC leaders set the so-called "Bogor goals" of achieving free and open trade and investment in the region by 2010 for rich countries and 2020 for poorer, developing nations, but these are now considered as ambitions rather than firm targets.

The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council’s report runs counter to that released early this week by the APEC secretariat, which said the impact of APEC membership on trade was comparable to that of a free trade agreement, even without a binding agreement.

It said APEC members "trade with each other more than they do with other free trading agreement partners and much more with trading partners who are both members of APEC and members of the WTO." -- Felipe F. Salvosa II with a report from Jessica Anne D. Hermosa


from BusinessWorld Online (http://www.bworld.com.ph/main/content.php?id=1463)

Its time for the next administration to reverse the economic policies of the Arroyo Government and put more emphasis on a Pro-Filipino and balance sustainable development.

Enlightened capitalism towards a more sustainable future

By Fernando Zobel De Ayala, President and Chief Operating Officer Ayala Corporation
(The Philippine Star)
Updated November 20, 2009 12:00 AM



MANILA, Philippines - Thank you for inviting me to be with you today. I know that this is one of the most eagerly awaited events in your industry. I feel honored to be part of this event – to be among some of the most creative minds in the country.

The Ad Congress is a vast opportunity for learning and a great opportunity for us to challenge traditional thinking.

This is precisely what we need today in a world rudely awakened to alarming environmental and social realities that can no longer be ignored or accepted.

We’ve all seen the devastating impact of climate change. Whichever part of the world you’re from, the outcomes are one and the same – countless lives lost, human displacement, livelihoods and businesses disrupted, agricultural resources obliterated and the tragic loss of hope for so many.

These devastating environmental problems can no longer pass as ‘acts of God’. We are witnessing the direct consequences of a human footprint that is so large that it is degrading nature on a massive scale.

We are consuming more goods, using more resources and creating more garbage than we are equipped to handle. Technology has allowed us to push the limits even further, but has resulted in more emissions that warm the atmosphere. Companies are pressured to grow faster, produce more goods, increase profits, expanding environmental footprints in the process.

These are all reinforced by the promised rewards of a capitalist system under which much of the world operates. Ironically, it is the same system that created great wealth for nations and improved the well being of societies. Capitalism, after all, has been the most positive force in uplifting the human condition. History has proven it is the single greatest engine for the creation of wealth. Countries which adopted it, like China, have sustained economic growth for years and spread prosperity. But along with this, it also finds itself surrounded by environmental ruin and persistent poverty that afflicts a great part of its population.

While it is true that capitalism has allowed many countries to climb out of poverty, many have not. A great percentage of the world’s population is caught in a poverty trap which climate change will only worsen.

Certainly, there is a host of complex reasons why millions are stuck in poverty. Population explosion is one of them. But it is also clear that inherent failings of our current economic system have aggravated it.

While capitalism has been a great economic model, it has also not been efficient in providing goods and services to people who need them most. It has failed to provide basic infrastructure needed to allow the poorer sectors of society to join the formal economy.

Poverty alleviation approaches have relied heavily on charity through multilateral aid or donations of rich countries to poor countries. There has been a dependence on government for the provision of basic goods and services to the poor.

This model does not work sustainably. The charity system has tremendous inefficiencies that leaves it grossly insufficient. The US, for example, has given billions of dollars to Africa. But, according to Jeffrey Sachs of Harvard University, the true developmental aid, net of the portion for US consultants, food, and other emergency aid, amounts to a grand total of six cents per African. Hardly enough to make a difference.

Charity has not been able to deliver long term solutions on a scale that can genuinely uplift the lives of the poor. Businesses in turn have traditionally prioritized more developed segments of society which tend to be more profitable. This further isolates the majority and leaves them entrenched in a vicious cycle of poverty.

From a moral standpoint and even as a businessman it is unacceptable.

Business simply cannot flourish in failing societies. The building blocks of society—families, communities and businesses cannot prosper if the air is polluted, if the rivers are clogged, if forests are denuded, if biodiversity is threatened, and if people are mired in poverty.

These realities must force all of us to stop and rethink the very conduct of our lives, the way we govern, and do business. They scream for radical shifts in our current paradigm of capitalism and deeply ingrained human practices that have led us to this state.

Let me emphasize that the problem is not capitalism per se - but in the self-interested way that it is practiced today. It is capitalism that is highly individualistic, that is motivated by purely personal gain at any cost, and in many cases, with no regard for anything else. This, I believe, can be as destructive as it is creative.

Instead, we need to fundamentally reorient this economic paradigm towards a more “responsible and enlightened form of capitalism”, one that seeks long-term sustainability and balance, one that uses the mechanisms of the free market, but recognizes the needs of the broader community. If we don’t, I’m afraid we will continue on a path that leads to more frequent natural disasters and the resulting toll on human suffering and poverty.

I have confidence that practical and realistic solutions exist and are within reach. Today, I see three trends combining to form the foundation of a new, more “enlightened” capitalism, or what Bill Gates calls “creative or soft capitalism”. This is capitalism that uses market forces to address the needs of the poor, those at the base of the economic pyramid, who in the past were not considered a profitable market. This is capitalism that looks at greening the supply chain, that minimizes environmental footprint, that seeks more efficient use of natural resources and replaces those it has used. I see many people and companies beginning to transform, ready to embrace an alternative path that leads to sustainable, more inclusive, and equitable growth.

The first trend I see is an emerging social pact. People are increasingly demanding greater accountability, higher levels of ethics, heightened social and environmental responsibility, and governance from both the public and private sectors. Consumers are demanding products that are environmentally safe. Employees are more inclined to pursue careers with companies that are ethically and socially responsible. Capital is finding its way into companies that have strong social and environmental dimensions in their business strategies. It is imperative that this momentum is nurtured and reinforced so that it is adopted at all levels.

The second trend is the increasing ability of business – using new business models, new technologies, and partnerships with communities and government – to profitably meet the needs of the lower income groups. By finding ground-breaking ways to tap this market profitably, companies are unlocking new opportunities, and unleashing billions of dollars as they provide access to services and goods for the poor.

There are many successful examples of business models that cater to the base of the economic pyramid or the poorest sectors of our society.

In India, Philips Electronics is making access to healthcare facilities more affordable through custom-built clinical vans. These vans constitute a real business that combines the capabilities, technologies, and expertise of business using approaches developed by the non-profit sector.

The same impact has been made by the telecom industry in the Philippines. When Globe and Smart collectively brought down the cost of mobile phone services through innovations in technology platforms, the penetration rate of phones dramatically increased. Today, an astounding 80 percent of the population has access to a mobile phone to communicate with family and friends and to manage their businesses.

We saw the same outcome in our experience in Manila Water. Bringing piped water to communities that didn’t have access to it at a fraction of the cost, created a huge leap in people’s quality of life and an enormous improvement in health, especially for lower income groups.

But perhaps, no other base of the pyramid business model is more powerful than microfinance. We all know how the Grameen bank in Bangladesh introduced microfinance and radically transformed the lives of millions of people who otherwise would have had no access to credit.

This model has been taken to most emerging economies where mainstream financial institutions are now moving into this space successfully. There are examples like Compartamos Banco in Mexico, Credi Amigo in Brazil, Bank Andara in Indonesia and ICICI in India. These institutions and many others are already serving millions of people around the world. With 80 percent of the population in the Philippines still un-banked many people in our country are exposed to unscrupulous characters that lend them money at exorbitant rates. This will rapidly change as more and more institutions look into microfinance as a profitable business opportunity.

Within our group we recently decided to tap this sector by combining Globe’s G-Cash technology with BPI’s expertise in managing loan portfolios. Through a combination of technology and experience, we feel we can expand the reach of microfinance and bring down transaction costs in a profitable way to ensure its sustainability.

Companies are clearly moving into sectors that were previously left to the NGOs or government agencies. They have shown that they can operate profitably within this space and give basic access to the poor. Companies like Pfizer, Unilever, Nike, Microsoft, Petron, and many others are aggressively looking for solutions to serve the broader base of the market. As these businesses can be profitable, you will see an enormous amount of innovation and resources being channeled to a sector that has been neglected for so many decades. In many cases, the lower income groups will be getting access to basic services for the first time and in many other cases the drive for efficiency in the private sector will allow them to get the services and goods at a much lower price than in the past.

The third very positive trend I see is the move towards more Strategic Philanthropy. Philanthropic activities have dramatically evolved from being relatively small sporadic distributions to larger, more strategic social consortiums. These cross-border and multi-sectoral partnerships enable programs to scale up and magnify their impact, benefitting entire sectors, cities, and even an entire country.

The Bill Gates Foundation is perhaps the most prominent example. It uses its own resources and its partner institutions’ to strategically address infectious disease problems in developing countries. They support sustainable ways of delivering technology and invest in R&D for affordable interventions such as natural vaccines, low cost repellants, and diagnostics. Their efforts apply the same kind of strategic thinking and discipline that made Microsoft a global enterprise.

Another example and one that we can see right here in our country is the Shell Foundation’s work with an alliance of over 200 international companies to combat tuberculosis and malaria in Palawan, Apayao, Quirino, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. To succeed, it relies on equally critical partnerships with various government units to ultimately eradicate these health problems.

We are gradually witnessing the replication of these massive collaborations. I am very interested in the on-going effort for an environmental clean-up and transformation of our very own Pasig River.

A river that was once a source of life, a central feature of the city, a means of transport, and a center of economic activity has been denigrated into a dumpsite of human and industrial waste after 80 years of abuse. The Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig Project is a huge effort that only a multi-sectoral collaboration can manage because it needs a full range of solutions, from housing, livelihood, clean water, to health services, education, sanitation, and waste management.

The Pasig River represents an opportunity for a new approach and thinking towards such a critical resource. I have decided to get involved both personally and through the companies that I work with, in the relocation effort for the people living on the banks of the river. Through Habitat for Humanity and other partners we will help relocate all the families to new sites.

I am fully convinced that under the leadership of Gina Lopez and the ABS CBN Foundation and with everyone’s committed assistance, we can bring this river back to life again. Its success will show our capacity as a nation to solve problems of this magnitude in our country. It will invigorate our confidence to work together for a common cause.

These three trends show that businesses and capitalism can be harnessed for greater positive impact in society. They can become a force for change as they have the tools and solutions at hand for the problems we face today.

Across the world, societies clamor to put an end to the irresponsible use of resources, an end to environmental degradation, and a beginning of a new and better standard of living for itself and for its children. I have absolute confidence in this unfolding movement. Societies have always demonstrated a unique ability to adapt, adjust, and create solutions to problems at every critical juncture in history. But these solutions ultimately rest in all of us, individuals, who make up and chart society’s course.

If we do not have the individual willingness and capacity to work together and make a radical change in our ways, if we do not demand a higher standard for ourselves and from our leaders, if we do not reject apathy and mediocrity, we are doomed to muddle through, feeling frustrated and impotent to change our lives for the better.

But if we do, even our own individual modest efforts, replicated and multiplied a thousand fold, can save our country from the slippery slope to economic failure and social dislocation.

In this room tonight are some of the most creative minds in our country. You have the power to fuel the passion, the hope and the desire for every Filipino to transform our country into a vibrant, entrepreneurial and caring nation.

Let us all play our part in rebuilding our country today.:cheers:

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9949/startoond.gif

EDITORIAL -

Corruption and development

(The Philippine Star)
Updated November 20, 2009 12:00 AM


The transparency ranking of the Philippines has improved – by two notches from the previous year, to 139th out of 180 economies. The 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index or CPI, compiled by Transparency International, is based on data from business leaders and country experts in 10 institutions including the World Bank, World Economic Forum and Economist Intelligence Unit.

With minor movements, the Philippine ranking in the CPI has been largely unchanged over the past years. This says a lot about the administration that rose to power on the wings of public outrage over a series of corruption scandals that rocked the government of Joseph Estrada. The Arroyo administration was supposed to be different, leading the charge against an entrenched culture of corruption. Instead corruption scandals have also hounded Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, with the first anomalous deal alleged to have been sealed barely a week into her presidency in January 2001.

Corruption is not unique to the Philippines. The difference is how countries deal with the problem. It is no coincidence that countries that have addressed the problem decisively are faring better in economic growth and many other human development indicators, as shown in other international studies.

The world’s cleanest countries are also among the most prosperous, ranking consistently high in surveys on quality of life: New Zealand, Denmark, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland. At the bottom of the CPI are areas of conflict, burdened with weak governments: Iraq, Sudan, Burma, Afghanistan, and the bottom dweller, Somalia.

At 139th place, the Philippines has little to crow about. In this part of the world, the country ranks behind economic achievers Hong Kong (12th), Japan (17th), Taiwan (37th) and South Korea (39th). China fared better at 79th place, and so did Macau (43rd), Bhutan (49th) and Mongolia (120th).

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines was ahead only of Cambodia and Laos, which tied for 158th place, and the usual tail-ender Burma, which ranked 178th. Faring better than the Philippines in Southeast Asia, apart from Singapore, were Brunei (39th place), Malaysia (56th), Thailand (84th), Indonesia (111th) and even Vietnam (120th). Surely there’s a co-relation between corruption and economic development, but it’s a link that Philippine officials appear unable to see.

our country lacks in urban planning and poor maintenance is major blunder

Bad, Bad News for Philippine Industry and Development!:bash::bash::bash:


RP becoming a sweat shop?
:ohno::ohno:
By AMADO P. MACASAET
Malaya Business Insights
Nov. 25, 2009

The time when exports of furniture were made solely of indigenous products is long gone.

The hope of using more local textiles in the Philippine garments exports is also gone.

The local content of electronic and semi-conductor exports has not increased. The dependence on labor value has not changed much.

There is a clear trend to import raw materials used in the production of Philippine export products. A random survey conducted by Malaya Business Insight shows that the Filipino exporters of furniture import their wood requirements from Malaysia.

The reason is not because there is a ban against felling hardwood. The reason is there is hardly any hardwood left in what used to be rain forests in the Philippines. In fact, a large number of yards now import lumber from Brazil, according to a Chinese businessman who was once big in lumber.

A few of the textile mills were increasingly producing materials for the local garments industry. Then China lowered the boom. China came into the picture with cheap labor. In time, the textile industry of the world succumbed to China, the Philippines not excluded.

Yet, a garments manufacturer claimed that the China itself is having problems with its garments business. World demand has not recovered. China then turned to developing its domestic market. The little problem is the Chinese do not have that much of disposable income to exert demand pressure on garments.

Sources in business circles intimated that semi-conductor and the electronics industry have not recovered from the slump in world demand. Therefore, the source said, the production and development of local components have practically grounded to a halt.

Now the garments and furniture industries are also relying on imported components. The source said textile, semi-conductor and electronics industries are down by at least 40 per cent. Asked why the recovery is slow if there is recovery at all, the source explained that the $750 billion bailout money for failed businesses in the United States "is all gone." Very little of it, he said, went into the hands of consumers who were expected to use the money to purchase Philippine-made products.

The source also pointed out that the American consumers in the middle and high-income classes are scared to go on massive spending. He explained that the experience of Bill Gates losing $6 billion in the value of his shares in the New York Stock Exchange and the much bigger $25 billion paper loss in the value of the shares of Warren Buffet scare the Americans. The big losses of Donald Trump, the source said, added to the scare.

The psychological effects of these huge, un-incurred losses are forcing the American consumers to hang on to their money although, the source said, official figures released by the Federal Reserve and the labor department tend to show modest signs of recovery.

The scare, the source said, has substantially reduced demand for Philippine exports, particularly garments for the ordinary American consumers.

The slow-down in world demand, he said, similarly reduced the orders for Philippine-made electronics and semi-conductors.

A garments manufacturer who is licensed by an American company said the trend of relying heavily on imported parts and components will have serious effects, first, on employment generation and, second, on heavy disbursements of foreign exchange to pay for imported components.

He pointed out that instead of slowly increasing local content, some sectors in the export industry are going back to the days when labor is the only value they get from exports. "We are becoming the sweat shops of the world," he said.

A large Filipino garments producer, finding industrial peace, moved his operations to China after initially engaging Chinese seamstresses on per piece arrangement. Today, his business is growing slowly compared to his operations in the Philippines largely because of low costs of labor and materials in China.

Given the present situation, the businessman said, the best hope at the moment is exporting warm bodies. "There is plenty of work for coolies waiting out there," he said.

There is very little room for professionals, especially nurses. The hospitals in the United States are practically closed to foreign nurses. He explained that American women are taking to nursing as a profession.

"The other fields are crowded," he said.

He laments the fact that Filipinos who get masteral degrees in Ivy League schools like Harvard University try to get jobs abroad instead of coming back to the Philippines to help their country.

He explained that one of the least known secrets of the success of China is that its students who get higher education in better schools in the United States go back to their country. "The Filipino students stay abroad after finishing their courses."

"The brain drain," he said, "is also draining the economy."

As if this is not bad enough, "we are again depending on imported components for our exports," he pointed out.

Bad, Bad News for Philippine Industry and Development!:bash::bash::bash:


RP becoming a sweat shop?
:ohno::ohno:
By AMADO P. MACASAET
Malaya Business Insights
Nov. 25, 2009

The time when exports of furniture were made solely of indigenous products is long gone.

The hope of using more local textiles in the Philippine garments exports is also gone.

The local content of electronic and semi-conductor exports has not increased. The dependence on labor value has not changed much.

There is a clear trend to import raw materials used in the production of Philippine export products. A random survey conducted by Malaya Business Insight shows that the Filipino exporters of furniture import their wood requirements from Malaysia.

The reason is not because there is a ban against felling hardwood. The reason is there is hardly any hardwood left in what used to be rain forests in the Philippines. In fact, a large number of yards now import lumber from Brazil, according to a Chinese businessman who was once big in lumber.

A few of the textile mills were increasingly producing materials for the local garments industry. Then China lowered the boom. China came into the picture with cheap labor. In time, the textile industry of the world succumbed to China, the Philippines not excluded.

Yet, a garments manufacturer claimed that the China itself is having problems with its garments business. World demand has not recovered. China then turned to developing its domestic market. The little problem is the Chinese do not have that much of disposable income to exert demand pressure on garments.

Sources in business circles intimated that semi-conductor and the electronics industry have not recovered from the slump in world demand. Therefore, the source said, the production and development of local components have practically grounded to a halt.

Now the garments and furniture industries are also relying on imported components. The source said textile, semi-conductor and electronics industries are down by at least 40 per cent. Asked why the recovery is slow if there is recovery at all, the source explained that the $750 billion bailout money for failed businesses in the United States "is all gone." Very little of it, he said, went into the hands of consumers who were expected to use the money to purchase Philippine-made products.

The source also pointed out that the American consumers in the middle and high-income classes are scared to go on massive spending. He explained that the experience of Bill Gates losing $6 billion in the value of his shares in the New York Stock Exchange and the much bigger $25 billion paper loss in the value of the shares of Warren Buffet scare the Americans. The big losses of Donald Trump, the source said, added to the scare.

The psychological effects of these huge, un-incurred losses are forcing the American consumers to hang on to their money although, the source said, official figures released by the Federal Reserve and the labor department tend to show modest signs of recovery.

The scare, the source said, has substantially reduced demand for Philippine exports, particularly garments for the ordinary American consumers.

The slow-down in world demand, he said, similarly reduced the orders for Philippine-made electronics and semi-conductors.

A garments manufacturer who is licensed by an American company said the trend of relying heavily on imported parts and components will have serious effects, first, on employment generation and, second, on heavy disbursements of foreign exchange to pay for imported components.

He pointed out that instead of slowly increasing local content, some sectors in the export industry are going back to the days when labor is the only value they get from exports. "We are becoming the sweat shops of the world," he said.

A large Filipino garments producer, finding industrial peace, moved his operations to China after initially engaging Chinese seamstresses on per piece arrangement. Today, his business is growing slowly compared to his operations in the Philippines largely because of low costs of labor and materials in China.

Given the present situation, the businessman said, the best hope at the moment is exporting warm bodies. "There is plenty of work for coolies waiting out there," he said.

There is very little room for professionals, especially nurses. The hospitals in the United States are practically closed to foreign nurses. He explained that American women are taking to nursing as a profession.

"The other fields are crowded," he said.

He laments the fact that Filipinos who get masteral degrees in Ivy League schools like Harvard University try to get jobs abroad instead of coming back to the Philippines to help their country.

He explained that one of the least known secrets of the success of China is that its students who get higher education in better schools in the United States go back to their country. "The Filipino students stay abroad after finishing their courses."

"The brain drain," he said, "is also draining the economy."

As if this is not bad enough, "we are again depending on imported components for our exports," he pointed out.


This isn't happening...:bash:

About Israel, here's a comment of a guy at Amazon who reviewed the book

"Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle"


"Israel has been the BIGGEST welfare state in the history of humanity!

Using the year 1973, Israel has cost the United States about $3 trillion in 2002 dollars (PRESENT VALUE SCALE). If divided by today's population, that is more than $11,400 per American citizen that has sent his money to Israel in taxes. This is an amount almost four times greater than the cost of the Vietnam war, also in 2002 dollars.

Israel has never been self-supporting. It has always required massive subsidies from the outside - above all from the United States. In addition, Germany and other European states and companies have paid out many billions in "restitution," and wealthy Jewish communities, especially in the US, have provided tax-deductable substantial financial assistance-"a net drain" on the USA economy.

--US Jewish charities and organizations have remitted grants or bought Israel bonds worth $60 billion. Though private in origin, the money is "a net drain" on the United States economy.

--US help, financial and technical, has enabled Israel to become a major weapons supplier. Weapons make up almost half of Israel's manufactured exports. US defense contractors often resent the buy-Israel requirements and the extra competition subsidized by US taxpayers.

-- US policy and trade sanctions reduce US exports to the Middle East about $5 billion a year, costing 70,000 or so American jobs. Not requiring Israel to use its US aid to buy American goods, as is usual in foreign aid, costs another 125,000 jobs. (I wish we can export garments to the US with much lowered tarriffs without having to concede buying American-made textiles)

Israel was founded on terrorism, massacres, ethnic cleansing and the dispossession of its native Palestinian population. Even now it violates international law, inflicts a harsh collective punishment on the civilian population of Gaza, and continues to deny Palestinians their human and national rights. In accord with its Jewish supremacist ideology, Israel's discrimination against non-Jews is systematic and institutional. It is the only country in the region that occupies territory of its neighbors, that refuses to define its borders, and which possesses a large and illegal arsenal of nuclear weapons.

Even as a Jewish sanctuary, Israel cannot be regarded as a success. Jews are less safe and secure in Israel than almost anywhere else in the world. The great majority of Jews in the world have preferred not to live in "their" country.

Around the world, including the United States, loathing of Israel is widespread and steadily mounting. In Asia and Europe, political and business leaders increasingly regard Israel and its policies as harmful to global order and stability.

Regional demographic trends are also important. In Israel and its occupied territories, the Arab population is growing at a faster rate than the Jewish population, and within 20 years non-Jews will almost certainly be the majority.

Very few persons in 1985 foresaw the collapse six years later of the mighty and seemingly solid Soviet Union. But its end was predictable because it was an essentially artificial entity based on an inhumane and impractical ideology. Although Israel is a formidable military power, it is an aberrant, crisis-prone state, artificially kept alive with outside support, and based on an unworkable ideology.

Given its artificial character and built-in problems, as well as global political-economic and regional demographic trends, Israel's future in the next 60 years is not bright.

I still give it 5 stars because the writing style is good. But read it as a work of fiction."

I'm not saying we don't have anything to learn from them. For one thing they have a good agricultural technology that is worth emulating but other than that IMO whatever they have accomplished could just as easily have been replicated in our own country if we only had half the same privileges, clout and above all the same level of no strings attached outside financial support that they seem to get without a hitch. :cheers:

Who really is the ‘sick man’?


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:42:00 11/27/2009



BY CITING the study of a population-control organization, purportedly showing the Philippines lagging behind Thailand and blaming the former’s non-adoption of population control, Manuel F. Almario (“Study reveals why RP lags behind neighbors,” Inquirer, 11/10/09) is merely like the junketing birth-control advocates who parrot what they have been fed in the West, which financed their junketing. Almario fails to apply a critical historical lens to the study; he even forgets the Philippines’ own history.
The study reportedly said that because the Philippines did not adopt population control, “by 1975, even their incomes (Thailand’s and RP’s), were about even, despite the fact that a quarter of a century before that, the Philippines’ per capita income was just slightly lower than Japan’s.”
The study does not mention—and Almario seems to forget—that in 1975, the Philippines already had the 1973 Marcos Constitution that enshrined family planning, probably the only charter in the world that had made fertility control a state policy. From martial law up to the end of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, the Philippines was implementing a draconian population control law that freely distributed condoms and abortifacients, ligated women and vasectomized men, most of them poor.
What happened? Did the Philippine economy improve? No. The Philippines slumped to what the study calls “sick man in the region.” What caused the collapse and the spiral of poverty? Not “overpopulation” because it had supposedly been checked by birth control, but by wrong policy planning, gross mismanagement and widespread corruption. Family planning itself was an instance of all three.
It is ironic that the Philippine Congress now wants to pass the so-called Reproductive Health bill, which is nothing but a resurrection of the “Marcosian” birth-control policy.
What the study and Almario overlook is the dark side of Thailand’s safe-sex program. Boasting 100-percent condom use by its citizens, Thailand has become the leading HIV-AIDS sufferer in the region: nearly half a million Thais or more than one-in-100 adults in that country of 65 million people are infected with HIV-AIDS. (The statistic does not include the more than half a million who have died.) But still the population-control and safe-sex establishment calls it a model of AIDS prevention! In the Philippines meanwhile, with various statistics putting condom use at very low rates (from 10 percent to 37 percent), the HIV population is at 3,400 out of what population-control extremists call as an “overpopulation” of 89 million!
Now why should Thailand be foisted as a model on the Philippines? Who’s really the “sick man in the region”: “overpopulated” Philippines or condom-crazy and HIV-afflicted Thailand?
—LEVINE LAO,
lao_icons@yahoo.com

Who really is the ‘sick man’?


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:42:00 11/27/2009



BY CITING the study of a population-control organization, purportedly showing the Philippines lagging behind Thailand and blaming the former’s non-adoption of population control, Manuel F. Almario (“Study reveals why RP lags behind neighbors,” Inquirer, 11/10/09) is merely like the junketing birth-control advocates who parrot what they have been fed in the West, which financed their junketing. Almario fails to apply a critical historical lens to the study; he even forgets the Philippines’ own history.
The study reportedly said that because the Philippines did not adopt population control, “by 1975, even their incomes (Thailand’s and RP’s), were about even, despite the fact that a quarter of a century before that, the Philippines’ per capita income was just slightly lower than Japan’s.”
The study does not mention—and Almario seems to forget—that in 1975, the Philippines already had the 1973 Marcos Constitution that enshrined family planning, probably the only charter in the world that had made fertility control a state policy. From martial law up to the end of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, the Philippines was implementing a draconian population control law that freely distributed condoms and abortifacients, ligated women and vasectomized men, most of them poor.
What happened? Did the Philippine economy improve? No. The Philippines slumped to what the study calls “sick man in the region.” What caused the collapse and the spiral of poverty? Not “overpopulation” because it had supposedly been checked by birth control, but by wrong policy planning, gross mismanagement and widespread corruption. Family planning itself was an instance of all three.
It is ironic that the Philippine Congress now wants to pass the so-called Reproductive Health bill, which is nothing but a resurrection of the “Marcosian” birth-control policy.
What the study and Almario overlook is the dark side of Thailand’s safe-sex program. Boasting 100-percent condom use by its citizens, Thailand has become the leading HIV-AIDS sufferer in the region: nearly half a million Thais or more than one-in-100 adults in that country of 65 million people are infected with HIV-AIDS. (The statistic does not include the more than half a million who have died.) But still the population-control and safe-sex establishment calls it a model of AIDS prevention! In the Philippines meanwhile, with various statistics putting condom use at very low rates (from 10 percent to 37 percent), the HIV population is at 3,400 out of what population-control extremists call as an “overpopulation” of 89 million!
Now why should Thailand be foisted as a model on the Philippines? Who’s really the “sick man in the region”: “overpopulated” Philippines or condom-crazy and HIV-afflicted Thailand?
—LEVINE LAO,
lao_icons@yahoo.com


Wow, this guy takes taking things literally to another level. :ohno:

Btw, being affected with HIV doesn't mean you're sick! You can absolutely function as well as other people. I do know HIV-positive people who are in a much better shape than those w/ negative status who eat bad food, let themselves go, become chubby and have diabetes. Just my 2 cents :))

Wow, this guy takes taking things literally to another level. :ohno:

Btw, being affected with HIV doesn't mean you're sick! You can absolutely function as well as other people. I do know HIV-positive people who are in a much better shape than those w/ negative status who eat bad food, let themselves go, become chubby and have diabetes. Just my 2 cents :))

Yeah, but just wait until the virus wakes up from dormancy and turns into AIDS. That's why HIV is awful.

Who really is the ‘sick man’?


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:42:00 11/27/2009



BY CITING the study of a population-control organization, purportedly showing the Philippines lagging behind Thailand and blaming the former’s non-adoption of population control, Manuel F. Almario (“Study reveals why RP lags behind neighbors,” Inquirer, 11/10/09) is merely like the junketing birth-control advocates who parrot what they have been fed in the West, which financed their junketing. Almario fails to apply a critical historical lens to the study; he even forgets the Philippines’ own history.
The study reportedly said that because the Philippines did not adopt population control, “by 1975, even their incomes (Thailand’s and RP’s), were about even, despite the fact that a quarter of a century before that, the Philippines’ per capita income was just slightly lower than Japan’s.”
The study does not mention—and Almario seems to forget—that in 1975, the Philippines already had the 1973 Marcos Constitution that enshrined family planning, probably the only charter in the world that had made fertility control a state policy. From martial law up to the end of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, the Philippines was implementing a draconian population control law that freely distributed condoms and abortifacients, ligated women and vasectomized men, most of them poor.
What happened? Did the Philippine economy improve? No. The Philippines slumped to what the study calls “sick man in the region.” What caused the collapse and the spiral of poverty? Not “overpopulation” because it had supposedly been checked by birth control, but by wrong policy planning, gross mismanagement and widespread corruption. Family planning itself was an instance of all three.
It is ironic that the Philippine Congress now wants to pass the so-called Reproductive Health bill, which is nothing but a resurrection of the “Marcosian” birth-control policy.
What the study and Almario overlook is the dark side of Thailand’s safe-sex program. Boasting 100-percent condom use by its citizens, Thailand has become the leading HIV-AIDS sufferer in the region: nearly half a million Thais or more than one-in-100 adults in that country of 65 million people are infected with HIV-AIDS. (The statistic does not include the more than half a million who have died.) But still the population-control and safe-sex establishment calls it a model of AIDS prevention! In the Philippines meanwhile, with various statistics putting condom use at very low rates (from 10 percent to 37 percent), the HIV population is at 3,400 out of what population-control extremists call as an “overpopulation” of 89 million!
Now why should Thailand be foisted as a model on the Philippines? Who’s really the “sick man in the region”: “overpopulated” Philippines or condom-crazy and HIV-afflicted Thailand?
—LEVINE LAO,
lao_icons@yahoo.com

I think both. Thai's population is physically sick, Philippines population situation is mentally sickening.

Yeah, but just wait until the virus wakes up from dormancy and turns into AIDS. That's why HIV is awful.

Thanks to advanced medicine, these people now have the same life expectancy as you and me my dear. Where have you been?

On top of that, this drug is available for FREE in Thailand through Social Security Program and such.

And I maintain that being affected w/ HIV doesn't equate being sick. :cheers:

I think with limited land area, the Philippines should be really serious in controlling its population or developing its economy.

Althought I still doubt the population figure because millions of Pinoys have already MIGRATED in other countries.

Take the case of some Mindanaons (half a million or more?)who have immigrated (albeit illegally in Malaysia)

ASEAN countries push ‘open skies’ with China (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20091129-239260/ASEAN-countries-push-open-skies-with-China)

Agreement seen crucial to regional free trade area

By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:34:00 11/29/2009

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines and neighbors in the region are pushing for an “open skies” deal with China to boost trade between Southeast Asia and the world’s third-biggest economy.

Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) Deputy Executive Director Porvenir Porciuncula said aviation officials in the region were in discussions to allow more liberalized air travel between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.

He said talks on the new deal, which was taken up in several meetings between officials from different countries in Beijing early this month, were in line with the push for a “free trade” area that would allow the region to benefit from China’s booming economy.

“Basically, in the meetings in Beijing, we were able to agree on the draft of opening up of all points in ASEAN and China,” he said.

“The direction is that leaders in the region will have this signed by November or December next year,” Porciuncula said.

The adoption of an open skies regime in the area will make way for increased air travel between China and Southeast Asia. The deal will result in less government regulation in the granting of rights to fly to points within the area.

“We already have a draft that is consistent with the planned ASEAN-China free trade area,” he added.

The free trade area aims to remove trade barriers between the two regions. This will mean lower tariffs on products shipped between China and countries in ASEAN.

China (including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau) is currently the Philippines biggest trading partner.

The open skies deal being discussed will involve the granting for third and fourth air rights between China and the ASEAN region.

These rights simply allow airlines to ferry passengers and cargo from their home countries to another and back.

One of the few factors that will be under consideration in an open skies deal is the availability of space or the capability of airports to handle the increase in flights.

Another main issue, according to Porciuncula, was how to deal with the expected increase in air traffic that may lead to airspace congestion in the area as a result of the accord.

Aviation safety regulations in the region also have to be harmonized, he said.

“All the countries expect air traffic to grow substantially because of this deal, so they want some kind of way to determine whether or not the airlines in the region comply with [the safety standards of the different countries],” Porciuncula said.

Natural fibers make fashion statement

BY PAUL M. ICAMINA
Malaya Business Insights
Dec. 3, 2009

The saluyot, water lily and maguey were unveiled yesterday as chic natural fibers ready to debut in the fashion world – and maybe help reverse the sliding fortune of the textile industry.

"The world textile industry has seen little development in new natural textiles for many years now and it is a great opportunity for tropical fibers made in the Philippines," said Carlos C. Tomboc, head of the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI).

"The industry has been complacent, failing to invest in new manufacturing technology amid the tough climate in the export market," said Mangalindan. "Still, it is second to electronics as the biggest export earner."

"We want to go beyond the niche market, we want to further expand the market base of natural fibers by penetrating the mainstream fashion market here and abroad, and be recognized internationally like the Thai silk," said Cecillia J. Soriano, head of the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) during a national conference on natural fibers.

"The local market remains a priority, especially for hand-woven textiles used every day," said Dr. Raul C. Sabularse, deputy director of the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development, in presenting a road map for ethnic and handwoven tropical fabric. "Because it is perceived as expensive, we must make them affordable to ordinary Filipinos."

Saluyot enters the designer circuit as the PTRI made public an all-natural blend with cotton.

PTRI scientists have also come up with blend of 80 percent polyester and 20 percent saluyot. The saluyot content can be raised up to percent.

Saluyot stems are not eaten. Their use for fabric, thus, does not threaten food security.

Stems are soaked in water for about three weeks and yields at least 5 percent fiber that has passes textile tests for fineness, tensile strength and residual gum properties.

Saluyot is grown in 692 hectares nationwide, with 213 has. in Pangasinan, the biggest producer, followed by Western Visayas.

Water lily or water hyacinth grows in almost all of the country’s freshwater bodies.

It is so prolific in fact that the plant is considered a "weed" because it clogs waterways and kills aquatic life in rivers and lakes. It is there for the taking: Laguna Lake alone, 20 percent of which is covered by the plant, can provide 163,000 tons from seven harvests each year.

Maguey grows wild in northern Luzon, Cebu and Panay. It is used in cordage, ropes, twines, carpets, wall coverings, crafts and handmade paper.

The new entrants are welcome in an industry that "faces stiff competition from China, cheaper fabrics from abroad, imported raw materials, local labor unrest, higher production costs and widespread smuggling," said Nora B. Mangalindan, head of research and development at PTRI. "Substituting just a fourth of imported textile with local tropical fabrics means foreign exchange savings of $156.72 million."

About 99 percent of textiles currently used are synthetic. Natural cotton, mostly from Mindanao, is sporadic and supplies less than 3 percent of demand from textile mills.

The use of tropical fabrics is required by law to compose at least 3 percent of government uniforms – a captive market of 1.3 million employees. When implemented fully, this could mean import substitutions of 481 metric tons of fibers worth $547.8 million and even revive a declining industry.

The Philippine has 30 useful fiber crops of which abaca, banana, buntal, coconut coir, kapok, kenaf, kozo, maguey, piña, raffia, ramie, salago, silk, sisal and cotton have commercial applications.

About 143,585 hectares are currently planted to fiber crops; 94.7 percent (135,958 has.) are planted to abaca.

According to FIDA, annual export earnings from fibers average about P4.6 billion (100 million), 95 percent of these from abaca products. Fiber production in 2008 was about P3.92 billion. The biggest markets are Germany, the United States and Japan.

"Our future includes functional or performance textiles such as natural dyes, to expand R&D to higher plane and verging away from traditional textile manufacture," Mangalindan said.

"The key word is renewable," Soriano said. "Abaca as a renewable resource, for example, can be an excellent part of the overall solution to climate change as the plant absorbs carbon dioxide and is 100 percent biodegradable that cannot harm the environment. This is the considerable edge of abaca and other natural fibers over synthetics."

RP yet to substantially
benefit from free trade:ohno::ohno:

Malaya Business Insights
Dec. 4, 2009


The Philippines has yet to substantially benefit from the growth opportunities of free and open markets, according Ambassador Manuel A.J. Teehankee, head of the delegation of the Philippines at the 7th session of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference the other day in Geneva, Switzerland.

Teehankee said that while in the last eight years the Philippines did finally achieve a level of economic stability with an average real growth in GDP of 4.8 percent based on policies that are anchored on open markets and economic fundamentals, "our experience and experimentation demonstrates that much more needs to be, and can be, done for or the Philippines to substantially benefit from the growth opportunities of free and open markets."

Even as we have experienced some economic stability, Teehankee said, the Philippines had in the past 20 years experience various boom-bust cycles generated by balance of payment problems, oil embargoes, political instability, global economic slowdowns, the Asian financial crisis, and many internal factors like low savings ratios, and low tax collection rates.

Teehankee said the Philippines had embraced industrialization, trade liberalization, and globalization, in the hope of winning the fight against poverty and underdevelopment.

But without specifying the Philippine experience, Teehankee said developing countries have sometimes adopted trade liberalization measures even without the required capability to compete with the more efficient firms of developed countries.

"To some extent, this has led to the closure of many domestic companies and the unemployment of personnel not prepared or adequately re-trained for other employment," Teehankee said.:bash::bash::bash:


"Globalization and trade liberalization have not necessarily improved and corrected persistent inequalities between and within countries," Teehankee said. :bash::bash:At the working session 2 on "The WTO’s Contribution to Recovery, Growth and Development," Teehankee warned of the use of non-tariff measures in preventing the Philippines as well as other developing economies, gain market access.

During the session, Teehankee also pointed to making use of "aid of trade" for the Philippines and other beneficiary countries in helping them cope with the global financial crisis.

Teehankee warned the proliferation of non-tariff measures as a challenge that developing countries like the Philippines could face in trying to gain market access through the benefit of reduced tariffs.

"(Such challenge) would slow the phase of our development," Teehankee added.

Teehankee outlined how aid for trade can contribute to the recovery and growth process of beneficiary countries like the Philippines especially in the aftermath of the crisis when additional resources need to be mobilized.

He urged the WTO to spearhead a collaboration which addresses core problems for developing countries such as trade-related infrastructure, productive capacity, and domestic capacity, among others. (Irma Isip)

Dairy cattle business - a milking cow.



BUSINESS & LEISURE
By Ray Butch Gamboa
(The Philippine Star)
Updated December 05, 2009 12:00 AM

How is the local dairy industry going, or do we even have such an industry to speak of?

It’s news to me too, but local dairy production comprises only one percent of the national requirement, and we have to import 99 percent to serve our requirements. Most of these are imported from New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
:ohno::ohno:
Just recently, we imported around $752 million worth of dairy products, more specifically liquid milk equivalent. Clearly, our dairy industry has not taken off despite the potentials that dairy farming posits, given the local requirement.

From the National Dairy Authority, we gathered that the problem lies on the dairy animals, or the lack thereof. For 2009, the National Dairy Authority imported 812 dairy cattle, costing the equivalent of P120,000.00 per head. That comes out to a total of P97,440,000.00 for the animals alone. Factor in too the $752 million in importation of dairy products for 2009 alone and you get an idea of how big this industry is.
:ohno::ohno:

We have to credit Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for his tireless efforts to keep the industry afloat by giving incentives and supporting the dairy farmers who are still struggling to keep their business afloat. One of the schemes they have devised is to loan out these dairy cattle to farmers which they will have to pay in the form of animals as well. The farmers are given anywhere between two years and seven years with which to pay their loans. If they are loaned pregnant cattle, they must repay the loan with pregnant cattle as well.

The viability of the business, I think, is without question. One can milk the cattle on a daily basis and get cash for it daily as well. For every female cattle, the farmer can likewise expect to have at least one calf a year also. Farm gate prices for fresh milk is between P18.00 to P20.00 per liter, and from what I hear, there is a ready market for this. Middle men likewise can cash in on this as I know this very same product is retailed at P85/liter, according to my wife who regularly buys very fresh milk from a friend on a weekly basis.:cheers:

As an aside, why is the margin so big? A mark-up of 350 percent is almost ridiculous, yet that is what it is, unless the figures given by the National Dairy Authority are not correct. I know for a fact that I haven’t gotten my retail price wrong because we do get our milk regularly, up to just last week, and the prices have not changed. With such a mark-up, this can be a very viable business for middlemen. Just make sure you have ample space in your refrigerator because milk, as you very well know, is one of the most perishable food items. The expiry date is clearly marked on the bottles and shelf life is only about a week, or even less I think. In fact, even in the ref, the unconsumed milk gets sour within less than a week from purchase if constantly moved (in and out of the ref!!) Then, make sure you have a list of regular clients within your immediate community so you don’t have to worry about delivery and transport problems. That’s an instant business opportunity for you.

Anyway, back to our local dairy industry. Because the imported cattle heads are too expensive for starting farmers, the National Dairy Authority, now under the youthful Urkhan Usman as Administrator, came up with the idea of multiplier farms where calves are bred. These calves, known as island-born, are sold for much less, at P50,000.00 to P70,000.00 per head. Because they have the same lineage as their imported parents from New Zealand mostly, and because they were born here, they are said to thrive better in fact than the full-grown imported cattle because the island-born have adapted to our local climate and soil conditions. Thus they are less prone to diseases and stresses.

Last year, our local farmers produced a total of 13.81 million liters, yet we still had to fork out $752 million for imported dairy products. This year, the dairy authorities are hoping to breach the 14 million liters mark. South Luzon, particularly the Batangas area, produces around 6,500 liters of milk a day, and they are now supplying all the Starbucks requirements. Actually, according to Mr. Usman, the Department of Agriculture Secretary has been working on the institutional market, not just individual consumers, like fast food chains, etc. to get their milk from our local farmers instead of the imported variety. Indeed, why not patronize our local dairy farmers?

The answer lies plainly on logistics. The institutional market would rather use imported skim milk and reconstitute them to have the liquefied milk form. This would cost them only P15.00/liter versus the P18-20/liter farm gate prices of liquid milk. The P3.00 to P5.00 spread, which is the difference between skim milk and fresh milk and which translates to a price difference of about 25 percent can be considerable for large volume operations.

Add to this the fact that skim milk is more manageable than fresh milk. Though fresh milk is infinitely more packed with nutrients than skim milk and has a much better flavor, these points are lost in the finished products churned out by these fast food institutions. Skim milk is also less perishable and lasts as long as you want them to last, if stored properly.

In the recent 13th Dairy Congress held in Camarines Sur and which was sponsored by the Dairy Confederation of the Philippines, farmers from all over the country converged in this resort island to discuss the future of their business and, together with the National Dairy Authority, formulate new policies and techniques. Because most of these dairy farmers have Long- established businesses, they are likely to stay with the business despite the setbacks. With the recent typhoons, some dairy farms in North Luzon were severely affected, particularly in Bulacan. One such farm in Sta. Maria, Bulacan was helped out by the National Dairy Authority with a P6 million loan to put up a new processing plant to replace the one damaged by Ondoy. We heard that the farm or the dairy cattle were not insured.

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.

For comments: (e-mail) bus

Protect Philippine brand reputation

DEMAND AND SUPPLY
By Boo Chanco
(The Philippine Star)
Updated December 07, 2009 12:00 AM

Protecting reputation is not just a good thing but a must to remain in business. There is the personal reputation of the businessman, the corporate reputation of the company and the national reputation of the country where the product is manufactured or produced.

We all know about the Tylenol poisoning episode many years ago that Johnson and Johnson handled magnificently by immediately withdrawing the product from retail shelves. J and J could have hemmed and hawed to escape liability for something that is obviously out of their control. But J and J decided to protect the brand’s reputation by recalling every unit of the product in the market. Now, Tylenol is as trusted as ever.

On the other hand, there is the reputation problem of Toyota today. You must have heard how a California Highway Patrol officer and his family died in a fiery car crash while on board a Lexus car just the other month. The CHP officer was a highly experienced driver so his driving ability was not an issue. He was a 19-year CHP officer whose job entails vehicle safety inspections.

Two minutes or so before the crash, the brother-in-law sitting at the back seat of the Lexus phoned 911 to report that its accelerator was stuck, sending it hurtling down the freeway at about 120 mph. The vehicle slammed into the rear end of a Ford Explorer and then plowed over a curb and through a fence before hitting an embankment and going airborne. It rolled several times before stopping and bursting into flames in the nearby San Diego River basin. All four people in the car died.

In a prepared statement, Toyota acknowledged that unspecified “recent events” had prompted company officials to “take a closer look at the potential for an accelerator pedal to get stuck in the full open position due to an unsecured or incompatible driver’s floor mat.” Toyota blamed the Lexus going out of control on the carpet getting stuck to the accelerator pedal.

But motoring bloggers were not convinced. They think there must have been a bigger problem, possibly with the programming of the car’s computer that prevented an experienced driver to regain control of the car that just kept on going full speed.

And even if it is just the floor mat and accelerator design that’s at fault, Toyota’s reputation still suffers a hit. With a fatal design failure in something so simple and mundane, how can you trust them to do the right thing in the more complex high tech aspects of the car? This brings us back to the programming of the car’s computer. All of us who work with computers everyday know how things could go wrong… and car computers basically have the same microchips.

With today’s drivers losing more and more control of the car to the car’s computer, what happened to the CHP officer is a horrifying thought. No wonder bloggers are insisting that Lexus needs to address sudden acceleration issues, a situation when car randomly accelerates and brakes don’t work. Stepping on the car brakes should always override the gas pedal. But why didn’t that happen in this case?

Toyota ordered a recall of 3.8 million of their recent car models but only to replace the accelerator. Speaking as a motorist myself who owns a Toyota SUV, that simplistic explanation and recall won’t do it. I would hesitate to replace my old reliable Toyota with any of their new high tech models because of this. Toyota’s brand is damaged for me.

Not too long ago, China-made products suffered a serious reputation problem. There were toxic chemicals in toys, melamine in milk and pet food and substandard car tires that caused fatal car accidents. Were it not for the sheer momentum going for the world’s largest exporter, the reputation of China-made products for low quality and even dangerous products would have been a serious economic blow. It will take a while for China to regain a reputation for dependable quality products. Cheap is no longer enough.

I mention these reputation management case studies as a prelude to an appeal to our own authorities to protect the reputation of Brand Philippines in the world market. We don’t have that many exportable products so that reputation management becomes even more important.

I had an interesting lunch with the well known and multi awarded artist Juvenal Sanso Thursday last week and he related to me a horror story that could seriously affect the image of our export products or Brand Philippines. Sanso said that it all started when a friend of his told him he was going to Costa Rica for bananas to export to the Middle East.

Ever ready to sell the Philippines, Sanso convinced his friend to come here and get his bananas from here instead. And so they went to Mindanao and talked to some of the bigger plantations but their production are already committed to foreign buyers. So they took the laborious route of talking to a number of smaller plantations for the bananas.

In the beginning, Sanso said, things were alright. But soon after the first few shipments, the quality of the bananas started going down. Bad bananas started showing up in cartons of the produce mixed with the good ones. Soon there were more bad bananas until one shipment turned out to be all bad bananas. Sanso and his friend lost a bundle of money for their effort to promote the Philippine brand but what dismayed Sanso more was the destruction of our country’s reputation as a reliable source of an export product.

It also didn’t help, Sanso said, that their Manila-based bank (a top 5 bank) was so bureaucratic and totally unhelpful. It took a lot of time for their bank to clear vital documents and that also affected the quality of their bananas, a perishable product.

Government should be more vigilant in making sure that only high quality products get out of our ports with the Made or Produced in the Philippines label. It is government’s job to make sure that sub standard bananas, for example, never reach the export market because it will destroy our reputation… it will destroy our brand.

This is of particular importance in bananas because there is a high world demand for it. When I joined a trade mission to Dubai last year, I heard buyers tell Agriculture Secretary Art Yap that they are ready to buy all the bananas we can produce. Because of this high demand, greed has come into the picture. But long-term viability is sacrificed by short-term greed when substandard bananas from the Philippines are sent out into the world market.

Sanso and his friend learned their lesson the hard and expensive way. They trusted too much. But Sanso is also sure that Brand Philippines suffered because of greed on the part of their local contractors and the failure of government to monitor an important export commodity. Export quality control is a must, not an option.

In the world of business, reputation is everything for long-term success. Once trust and confidence in your product suffers a dent, the bad news spreads quickly and will affect future sales. If we are serious about our agricultural exports, the authorities must always make sure the few greedy ones in the private sector are prevented from destroying the reputation of the Philippine brand. There is no other way to attain continued success for Brand Philippines.

I love to read posts that are very interesting especially those topics that are about financial matters, business and stock market conditions. It is good to read those posts for they broaden our knowledge about different issue concerning the business world.

I love to read posts that are very interesting especially those topics that are about financial matters, business and stock market conditions. It is good to read those posts for they broaden our knowledge about different issue concerning the business world.

nakakanowsbleed naman yang pinost mo dito, te!

Malaysian, Thai PMs visit troubled region (http://ph.news.yahoo.com/afp/20091210/tap-thailand-malaysia-diplomacy-unrest-s-0193655.html)
AFP - Thursday, December 10

BUKIT TA, Thailand (AFP) - – The Malaysian and Thai prime ministers made a historic joint visit to Thailand's restive south on Wednesday, in a fresh bid to curb a raging separatist insurgency that has left 4,000 dead.

Najib Razak and his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva officially named a "Friendship Bridge" spanning their shared border and visited an Islamic school in Thailand's troubled Muslim-majority southern provinces.

Security was tight amid a spike in militant attacks that has left 10 people dead since Monday, underscoring the challenges in finding a solution to the bloody six-year uprising.

Abhisit, who held talks with Najib in Bangkok on Tuesday, said the two countries were "strengthening our bonds" after years of mistrust over Thai allegations that Malaysia was failing to curb cross-border raids by militants.

"This Friendship Bridge will serve its noble purpose and boost further the various economic, social and cultural activities between our two countries," Najib said at the naming ceremony.

The two leaders arrived at the bridge near the Thai town of Bukit Ta in military helicopters. Thai army choppers circled the area and authorities cut mobile phone signals to guard against possible remote-controlled bombs.

Hundreds of Thai troops manned checkpoints leading to the border and bomb disposal squads checked the area, while police boats patrolled the Sunai Kolok River flowing below the bridge.

Najib later Wednesday visited a "widow village", set up by Thailand's Queen Sirikit, that shelters some 140 families affected by the unrest and teaches them handicrafts to make a living.

In the latest violence, one forensic policeman was killed and three security officials wounded in twin bomb blasts in Yala's provincial town early Wednesday.

Two Thai marines were wounded in a bomb and gun attack earlier the same day in Narathiwat province, where the bridge is located, after the troops tried to collect banners criticising Abhisit.

Another roadside bomb wounded two troops and a policeman protecting teachers in Yala province, while on Tuesday a bomb killed a soldier in a border town.

A soldier wounded in a clash with insurgents late Tuesday on a road due to be used by Abhisit and Najib died in hospital overnight, taking the toll from the incident to three security officials and one militant.

Four civilians died in bombings and shootings earlier in the week.

The rising violence has spurred Thailand to seek Malaysia's help in developing the impoverished region and improving education, depriving the shadowy militants of grievances that could drive new recruits into their hands.

Tensions have simmered in the region, formerly an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate, since it was annexed in 1902 by mainly Buddhist Thailand. The current insurgency erupted in January 2004.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who accompanied the two leaders to the region, said Najib's visit showed that Malaysia backed Thailand's efforts but that it also remained a domestic issue for Bangkok.

"The Malaysian government wants to join with the Thai government in development programmes that Thailand is employing in the south and support education projects that teach religion with a normal curriculum," he told AFP.

In Bangkok on Tuesday, Najib pledged his support for Thailand's "constructive" plans.

The bridge renamed Wednesday was opened in December 2007 by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Surayud Chulanont, the then-prime ministers of Malaysia and Thailand. Badawi did not visit any other parts of southern Thailand then.

Thailand has in the past accused Malaysia of failing to prevent insurgents crossing the porous 650-kilometre (400-mile) border, but the rhetoric has softened since Najib came to power in April.

Brussels-based think-tank International Crisis Group said Tuesday that Thailand should consider holding talks with the militants and must deal with the perceived impunity of security forces and disarm civilian militias.





PM's visit to south Thailand proves commitment: Hisham (http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=69381)
Published on: Thursday, December 10, 2009

Kuching: Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the visit by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to Narathiwat, southern Thailand Wednesday proved Malaysia's strong commitment to helping to resolve the conflict in the southern provinces.

He said the good Malaysia-Thailand political relations would enable Najib and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to find the best solution to the crisis.

"Malaysia is not only prepared to help solve the crisis, but also in other areas like educational and economic development and creating business opportunities in the southern Thai provinces," he told a news conference at the Sarawak state police headquarters, here, Wednesday.

He had earlier attended a briefing on the latest developments on the Royal Malaysian Police projects in Sarawak.

Hishammuddin said Malaysia and Thailand were expected to sign some memorandums of understanding before convening the fifth annual consultation between the two governments, particularly on efforts to bring peace to the three southern Thai provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

On Tuesday, Najib and Abhisit attended the fourth annual consultation where they discussed issues like the economy, development, bilateral relations, security and the conflict in southern Thailand.

On combating crime, he said his Ministry was trying to work with nine other ministries while evaluating 55 initiatives in finding the best ways to reduce the crime rate by 20 per cent next year.

On projects under his Ministry, Hishammuddin said priority would be given to the implementation of stalled or problematic ones before the start of the 10th Malaysia Plan.

He said among the projects was the new headquarters for the Sarawak state police contingent which had not taken off because of various factors like location, land and problematic contractor. The existing headquarters was built in 1929.

In another development, Hishammuddin will visit Long Kevok, a remote Penan settlement in the Baram district today (Thursday).

This is a follow-up to the visit by his Ministry through the National Registration Department (NRD) which was on an exercise to issue birth certificates and MyKad to indigenous people in the remote parts of Sarawak.

Hishammuddin is expected to arrive in a police helicopter from Miri and will witness a mobile registration exercise conducted by the NRD at the hall of Sekolah Kebangsaan Long Kevok.

He will be accompanied by his deputy Jelaing Mersat and International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan, who is also the Baram Member of Parliament. - Bernama



* * * * * * * * * *


Before ASEAN there was ASA - Association of Southeast Asia, an alliance consisting of Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand formed in 1961.

Nontariff barriers to replace tariffs sprouting among Asean members

Business Mirror
Written by Max V. de Leon / Reporter
Wednesday, 09 December 2009 19:12

THE heightened use of nontariff barriers (NTBs) and the rising number of potentially conflicting bilateral trade agreements being forged by individual members could undermine the Asean economic integration even if the region’s tariff-elimination schedule is pursued, an economist warned.

Myrna Austria, dean of the College of Business and Economics of the De La Salle University, said while the tariff walls in Asean are going down for intraregional trade, NTBs are sprouting in the different member-nations to replace tariffs as protectionist measures.

“The NTBs could put the integration at risk. NTBs are not as transparent as the tariffs, so they are more dangerous,” Austria said.

The region is set to remove another 16.7 percent of Intra-Asean trade tariffs in January. Currently, about 82 percent of the region’s tariff lines are already at zero.

Only a handful of tariff lines that are listed on the individual countries’ sensitive and highly sensitive products will remain with duties up to 2015, when the Asean economy are supposed to be fully integrated already according to the milestones set by the region’s leaders.

But while the tariff-elimination scheme remains on schedule, Austria said NTBs, such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical requirements, labeling, standards and testing, are increasing in number in lieu of the tariff walls.

Aside from the NTBs, Austria said another threat to a harmonious Asean integration is the rising bilateralism among the member-states.

She said if there is no common framework that will guide the bilateral trade agreements (BTAs) that are being forged by the individual economies, these deals could result in conflicting and confusing accords.

Right now, there are 37 BTAs that have been concluded by the individual members with non-Asean economies, and 28 more are under negotiations.
 “In the absence of a common framework, these BTAs could lead to a series of agreements that differ with each other,” Austria said.

DTI looks into dumping of mosquito coils

Malaya Business Insights
Dec.14, 2009

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is investigating claims by local mosquito coil manufacturers of alleged dumping of coils from Indonesia.

An industry official said the DTI on Thursday initiated a meeting to give both parties an opportunity to present their side.

Green Coil Industries Inc. based in Mandaue, the biggest player in the industry, has filed the petition against PT Johnson Hygiene Products for alleged dumping of Baygon Super and Baygon Lavender brands of mosquito killers by bringing the products here at prices much lower than in Indonesia where they are manufactured.

Green Coil manufactures Lion Tiger junior size mosquito killer, Lion Katol mosquito killer, Tiger Katol mosquito killer. Other players are Bendyson International Corp., maker of Dinosaurs mosquito killer, and Philippine Valiant Chemical Products Co. Inc. for Royal mosquito killer.

This is the first time that the industry has experienced dumping, probably because of the huge demand in the local market due to the prevalence of mosquito-carrying diseases like dengue fever and malaria in the country.

The official said since the local content of mosquito coils is almost 100 percent, dumping has a huge impact on the industry whose raw materials are mainly agricultural products, thus affecting farmers. Some of the known ingredients of mosquito coils are coconut shell flour, pyrethrum marc, potato starch and natural pyrethrum which is an extract of chrysanthemums.

The industry alleged that mosquito coils are being imported from Indonesia at dumped prices causing material injury to the domestic industry in terms of actual and potential decline in market share, productivity, profits, and return on sales.

The period of investigation for dumping is for 2008 while the period of investigation for injury is from 2006 to 2008.

Baygon is said to be selling the mosquito coils for $0.185 per box in Indonesia but at $0.11 to the Philippines. - Irma Isip

Monday, December 14, 2009
| MANILABusinessowrld, PHILIPPINES

Economy

Public sector debt hits P5T

OUTSTANDING DEBT of the public sector totaled P5.5 trillion in the first quarter, driven by the higher debt of the financial public sector, data the Finance department released over the weekend showed.

The P5.5-trillion debt was 4.36% more than the P5.27 trillion incurred as of end-December 2008 and 33% more than the P4.12 trillion recorded as of March 2008.

The outstanding debt of the public sector, which consists of the national government, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, state-run corporations and banks, as well as local government units (LGUs), was equivalent to 73.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) as of end-March this year.

Around P2.99 trillion were owed to foreign creditors, while the balance of P2.51 trillion were borrowed from domestic creditors.

The non-financial public sector, consisting of state-run firms, the national government, and LGUs, posted a total debt of P4.48 trillion, equivalent to 59.7% of GDP, and slightly less than the P4.517 trillion recorded in end-December 2008.

"This was mainly due to the decrease in the debt stock of the 14 monitored non-financial government corporations," the department said in a statement. "[The lower debt of the non-financial public sector was] partially offset by the increase of the debt of the financial public sector composed of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas."

The financial public sector -- consisting of the BSP and government financial institutions Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines, as well as the Trade and Investment Development Corporation of the Philippines -- posted a consolidated debt of P1.014 trillion in the first quarter, more than a third higher than the P754 billion recorded as of end-December last year. -- Alexis Douglas B. Romero

Resiliency? Looks more like rigidity

Malaya Business Insights
Dec.16, 2009


‘It’s rigidity which denies the mass of our people the hope
of ever rising out of poverty.’

GLORIA Arroyo and her economic managers proudly boast of the resiliency of the economy in coping with the ongoing global economic slowdown caused by the financial crisis in the United States last year.

The economy has succeeded in escaping recession, unlike some of our Southeast Asian neighbors. It is also likely to see higher growth next year on the strength of an expected recovery in developed countries which are the main markets for the country’s exports.

Framed this way, growth versus contraction, the country’s economic indeed appears resilient. But when growth numbers are subjected to scrutiny, the picture looks more like a creaking machinery that plods along wearily. Yes, it is largely unaffected by offshore storms, but it is also incapable of sailing as fast as the others when favorable winds blow.

Let’s look at some figures prepared by the Asian Development Bank. Among six Asean countries, it is only the Philippines that is expected to perform lower than forecast. In September, ADB said the Philippines would grow by 1.6 percent. Yesterday, that number was lowered to 1 percent. In contrast, Indonesia’s growth projection was steady at 4.3 percent while Vietnam’s was upgraded from 4.7 percent to 5 percent.

Even our neighbors which were hardest hit by the global slowdown are expected to perform better. Originally, Thailand was expected to suffer a contraction of 3.2 percent; the latest forecast is a 3 percent contraction. For Singapore, the comparative figures are an original 5 percent and a revised 2 percent. For Malaysia it is 3.1 percent and revised 2.5 percent.

The ADB forecast for 2010 is more telling.

Indonesia’s growth is seen at 5.4 percent and Vietnam’s at 6.5 percent.

The Philippines? It’s at 3.3 percent.

This growth rate is even lower than those economies seen contracting in 2009. From negative territory, Thailand is seen rebounding with a growth rate of 3.4 percent, Singapore with 4.5 percent and Malaysia with 5.4 percent.

Our neighbors, in sum, are poised for a sharp "V" shaped recovery while the Philippines is headed for a slow "U" recovery.

There is something eerily reminiscent about these figures. A decade ago when the Asian financial crisis struck, the Philippines was the least affected in Southeast Asia. Economic managers chalked that up to "resiliency." When the recovery came, our neighbors picked themselves up and sprinted ahead until this latest crisis struck.

The Philippines in the whole decade after the Asian financial contagion plodded along at half the growth rates of our neighbors. The best performance in those years was the 6 percent growth in 2007.

This is not resiliency. It’s rigidity which denies the mass of our people the hope of ever rising out of poverty.

For me, its the corruption.nothing more.

It's good that the government is moving ahead to promote bilateral relations with ASEAN member-countries despite the present lukewarm participation of rich countries.

With Villar, a shrewd businessman, as the Senate president, I expect better performance from the chamber. Both chambers of Congress should work towards being less confrontational, with each other and with the executive branch. No more derailing important projects, which only frustrates investors - such as the Northrail project which was politicized by Drilon and Co., to the dismay of the Chinese.

I've read somewhere that it's just the start of the century. We still have a long way to go and it's very early to look into this Asian Century when we haven't even finished the first decade of the century. But heck! With all these signs and things falling into place, it's almost attainable. China and India are becoming the world's economic powers. ASEAN is an emerging trade bloc in the world. Most Asian countries befallen by the Asian Financial Crisis have overcome their problems. This is our time. I hope nothing hinders it. Or just yet.



The movement is not within ASEAN alone. Remember, it's an Asian Monetary Fund that is likely to be established during the century. ASEAN+3 is readily moving to this establishment, with the South Asian trade bloc giving support to this endeavor. I hope this pushes thru, along with the free-trade agreement with ASEAN members. :)

Taiwan applied for ASEAN membership before but was dumped by member countries as it is not a UN member state.

The ASEAN bloc most likely denied Taiwan's membership due to political affiliation with the UN.

The ASEAN bloc most likely denied Taiwan's membership due to political affiliation with the UN.

The ASEAN Charter prohibits membership to non-UN member states.

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo332/mercato2008/125px-Flag_of_Israel_svg.png
So that we are not OT on this thread, here is an example of a technically “Asian country” located in Southwest Asia – Israel and what the Philippines can learn from it. The Philippines can learn:

:cheers:


The Jews were worst than the Arabs, Asian Indian (bumbay) and Chinese in terms of dominating the economy of their host country, no wonder Hitler strike at them. And later these Jews have done the same cruel things to Palestinian, as they experienced from the Nazi Germany.

Israeli influence with the Philippines will only makes our neighboring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia to hate us. And it will worsen the war in Mindanao and Sulu if we are close diplomatically and militarily with Israel.



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.

.


Israel's Founding: Miracle or Land Grab?
By Rev. Ted Pike ccun.org, August 7, 2008


Recent articles in Israel's daily Ha'aretz sharply criticize Israel's failure to effectively punish violence of Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

Ha'aretz says of Jewish settlers that "the coexistence approach often seems to make way for violent struggle that aims to deprive the Palestinians of their land." Jewish settlers "openly discuss their intention of making the lives of Arab residents a misery and pushing them out…" Israeli media has reported a number of violent attacks by settlers on Palestinians this spring. Yet Ha'aretz complains, "Even those that are heard by a court usually end in acquittal or a light sentence."

The Israeli human rights group Yesh Din "argues that police in the West Bank have failed in completing investigations on suspected attacks against Palestinians there." "The weak arm [of the law] avoids enforcing laws on Israelis living in the West Bank, causing the State of Israel to violate its ethical and international obligations vis-à-vis the population under our control."

Historic Injustice

Is such official injustice toward Palestinians a recent phenomenon in Israel? Hardly. Israel was birthed through terrorizing and expelling Palestinians from their ancestral lands.

Of course, Israel denies it expelled the Palestinians. They say the 700,000 to 800,000 indigenous Palestinians who fled Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israel war deserved to lose their properties; they were disloyal to the emerging State of Israel, defecting to Israel's Arab enemies at a crucial, vulnerable moment in Israel's struggle for nationhood.

Israel says that the Palestinians eagerly obeyed when Arab generals urged the Palestinians to vacate Israel so that the Jews could be slaughtered and driven into the sea. Such refugees, Israel alleges, were confident the conquering Arabs would return their land and property -- and more, once the Zionist experiment in Palestine was destroyed. Considering such alleged treachery, to this moment Israel remains adamant that no property of refugees who fled in 1948 will be returned to them.

What Really Happened
Let's turn from propaganda to reality. Here's what really happened in 1948.
In his book The Revolt, 1 former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, then head of the Zionist terror organization Irgun, recounts how Irgun fighters attacked the small Arab town of Deir Yassin east of Jerusalem on April 9, 1948. Begin ridicules the "Arab hysteria" that says Irgun massacred its inhabitants. Yet the International Red Cross was on the scene, even as the butchery continued, counting the maimed and dismembered corpses of 250 men, women, and children. Their representative counted 150 bodies stuffed inside a well. The Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem 2 says, "Of those 250 people, 25 pregnant women were bayoneted in their abdomens while still alive. 52 children were maimed under the eyes of their own mothers, and then they were slain and their heads cut off. Their mothers were in turn massacred and their bodies mutilated." (p.271) (See, Israel: Founded on Terror)

Word of this atrocity quickly spread throughout Palestinian Arabs, causing terrified awe and panic before the ferocity of Irgun. Irgun trucks, mounted with loud-speakers, drove throughout Arab communities, proclaiming in Arabic that if the inhabitants did not flee immediately they would soon experience the same horrific fate. Irgun also loaded trucks with the surviving Muslim women of Deir Yassin, parading them naked through the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem. 3 Such humiliation and insult to Muslim morals and womanhood intensified the searing effect of the massacre. It heightened the mystique that Zionist terrorists were cruel and vindictive beyond imagination.

Begin Tells All -- Almost

Begin, mixing lies with reality, explains further: "The enemy propaganda was designed to besmirch our name. In the result it helped us. Panic overwhelmed the Arabs of Eretz Israel." He tells of strategic Arab towns, resistant to Irgun attacks, suddenly evacuated. "In the rest of the country, too, the Arabs began to flee in terror, even before they clashed with the Jewish forces. Not what happened at Dir Yassin, but what was invented about Dir Yassin, helped to carve the way to our decisive victories on the battlefield. The legend of Dir Yassin helped us in particular in the saving of Tiberius and conquest of Haifa." "Arab headquarters at Ramallah broadcast a crude atrocity story, alleging indiscriminate massacre by Irgun troops of about 240 men, women, and children in Dir Yassin." 4

Begin confirms that indeed word of what happened at Deir Yassin induced Arab commanders to instruct Palestinians to flee. But it was not primarily to avoid the violence of Arab destruction of Israel. At first, Arab leaders commanded Palestinians to stay put. But as butchery by Zionists escalated, most acceded to the fact that the Zionists were capable of such unrestrained atrocities and carnage that literally no Arab was safe in Palestine. A large part of the purpose of the Arab invasion was not just to restore Palestinians to their property but to insure that many more Deir Yassins would not happen in the months ahead. In fact, in the six months following Deir Yassin Zionist troops committed at least nine more massacres against Palestinians, with the Arabs striking back with two against Jews. 5

Begin concludes, "Arabs throughout the country, induced to believe wild tales of "Irgun butchery," were seized with limitless panic and started to flee for their lives. This mass flight soon developed into a maddened, uncontrollable stampede. Of the about 800,000 Arabs who lived on the present territory of the State of Israel, only some 165,000 are still there. The political and economic significance of this development can hardly be overestimated." 6

Zionists Give Chase

Zionist forces, realizing a tremendous opportunity, used whatever means necessary to persuade Arabs to join the stampede. The Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem presents dozens of contemporary accounts, largely from Israelis, describing the Zionist-induced panic of the Arabs and resultant carnage. The preferred strategy was to convince Palestinians that, in view of the present "national emergency" posed by invading Arab armies, Israeli Arabs should flee until hostilities subsided. They could then return to their properties. Of course, this proved a lie. If that stratagem failed, whole Palestinian towns were given the ultimatum to flee immediately, taking only the clothes on their backs. Those who delayed, or attempted to bring belongings, were shot.

Palestinian towns were bombed and strafed from the air. Leaflets threatening massacre were dropped from airplanes. Arabs were mowed down in the streets by machine gun fire. With perhaps 800,000 Arabs in flight, the surrounding Jewish population descended on evacuated Arab towns, ransacking and looting their homes and businesses. In fact, a small "new rich class" was established in Israel as Jews actively bought, sold, and traded the wealth of hundreds of Arab cities, towns, and villages. Meanwhile, many Zionist soldiers robbed fleeing Arabs and raped Arab women. It was imperative to the Zionists that Arab property was destroyed as much as possible, to prevent them from returning. 7

With exodus of the majority of Arabs from Palestine, Begin says the struggle to create a unified state of Israel was largely won. Twelve cities or major towns and 830 small towns and villages were occupied by Zionists. Most were soon bulldozed, replaced by modern Jewish towns or kibbutzes. They were given Jewish names, their original ones soon forgotten. 8 In the decades that followed, Israeli propaganda encouraged the world to believe the original Arab towns never existed. In fact, it says today that before the Israelis created the towns now bearing Jewish names Palestine was empty, virtually deserted land. It says that, untended and underdeveloped by a tiny indolent Arab population, the many Jewish towns, collectives, orchards, and fields in Israel are a testament to fulfillment of divine prophecy that God would make Israel "blossom as the rose."

Who Gave Victory to Israel?

In defense of their Palestinian brethren, the Arab armies at first prevailed over Zionist forces. But then, in what Zionists and evangelicals describe as one of the very greatest miracles of divine intervention on behalf of Israel, Zionists rallied and were able to repulse the Arabs.

In reality, it was not God but Joseph Stalin who delivered Israel. (This was the same Stalin who, 15 years earlier, systematically starved to death five million Ukrainian Kulaks. Their crime? They wanted to grow vegetables in their backyards for themselves, not collectives.) Stalin personally ordered the Skoda Works in communist Czechoslovakia to send massive shipments of the latest arms, equipment, and fighter planes to help Israel in her time of need. Such military firepower, not the power of God or a righteous cause, empowered Israel to prevail.

Most evangelicals believe that mass exodus of the Arabs, making room for "God's chosen people" to dwell in their promised land, plus Israel's victory over vastly outnumbering Arab armies, are two of the greatest miracles of history, making possible Israel's prophesied rebirth as a nation. Zionists, both Jewish and evangelical, believe these are undeniable proofs that God fought and still fights for His people, as in the Old Testament. As a result, Christian America should unflinchingly support Israel today, right or wrong.

We see, however, that Israel was founded by terror and the deviousness of the most wicked men, not God. Her rebirth as a nation happened not because of heaven-sent successes but as a result of something very different:

What the Bible calls "lying wonders" of the last days that "deceive, if possible, even the elect." 9


Endnotes:

1. The Revolt, Menachim Begin, Henry Schuman, NY, 1951

2. The Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem, Intercontinental Books, 1991. This definitive work by Christian Palestinian lawyer and diplomat Dr. Issa Nakhleh is available in most university libraries.

3. Ibid, p. 271

4. The Revolt, p. 164

5. Israeli historian Benny Morris chronicles massacres by Jewish or Arab terrorists of at least 10 civilians or disarmed soldiers in the months following Deir Yassin. Israel committed many more slaughters of unarmed Palestinian townspeople but under the cover of a "military operation."
A. Massacres of Arabs by Jews:
• Qalunya, April 12, 1948 -- 14.
• Ein al Zeitun, May 3, 1948 -- 37 to 70.
• Abu Shusha, May 14, 1948 -- estimated at 60 to 70.
• Al-Kavri, May 21, 1948 -- undetermined.
• Al-Dawayima, October 29, 1948 -- 80 to 100.
• Sassaf, October 29, 1948 -- 50 to 70 (?).
• Saliha, October 30, 1948 -- 60 to 80.
• Hula, October 1948 -- 35 to 50.
• Arab al-Mawasi, November 2, 1948 -- 14.
B. Massacres of Jews by Arabs:
• Hadassah medical convoy, April 13, 1948 -- 78.
• Kfar Etzion, May 13, 1948 -- 50 to 120.
(Wikipedia, "List of Massacres Committed during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War)

6. The Revolt, p. 164. In 1914, at the beginning of Zionist presence in Palestine, the census showed there were 606,619 non-Jewish inhabitants of Palestine. Contrary to Begin's figure of 800,000 non-Jews in Palestine at the time of the Deir Yassin massacre, there were an estimated 1,440,274.

7. The Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem, p.251-68

8. Ibid, p.234

9. 2 Thess. 2:9, Matt. 24:24

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Rev. Ted Pike is director of the National Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative watchdog organization.


http://www.ccun.org/Opinion%20Editorials/2008/August/7%20o/Israel's%20Founding%20Miracle%20or%20Land%20Grab%20By%20Rev.%20Ted%20Pike.htm



-------------------------------------------------

Videos of Israeli brutalities and ethnic cleansing of Palestine now named Israel


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The ASEAN bloc most likely denied Taiwan's membership due to political affiliation with the UN.

The ASEAN Charter prohibits membership to non-UN member states.

^^a good excuse for ASEAN...but the real reason is CHINA...:D

http://www.mb.com.ph/sites/default/files/mb_logo.jpg

RP-Taiwan club for agri people


Our ood friend Arsenio ‘Toto’ Barcelona of Harbest Agribusiness is in the process of forming a club that will promote closer ties between farmers in the Philippines and Taiwan. The idea came about after three ranking officials of Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) visited the country to observe developments in fruits and vegetable farming in the Philippines.

Toto points out that although some of the modern techniques of farming from Taiwan such as the use of hybrid seeds and plastic mulch have been adopted here, there are a lot more that could be learned from the technologies developed in Taiwan, including the use of small machines for land preparation, irrigation, processing of agricultural products for food and other uses, marketing and others.

He believes that prospective farming investors from Taiwan will discover that there are opportunities for various projects in the Philippines. They will find out, for instance, that there are already a number of Taiwanese doing good business in agriculture in the Philippines. One of them is Peter Lin who has been in the Philippines for a long time producing melons and honeydew on more than a hundred hectares in Magalang , Pampanga and Concepcion, Tarlac.

Another big time producer of seedless watermelon for export to Taiwan and for the local market is Wu Yu Lien who cultivates year round more than a hundred hectares. He used to rent 250 hectares at Hacienda Luisita but had to transfer to Pampanga.

One project that the club could do is to organize symposiums for LGU executives on policy formulation that will attract Taiwanese investors in agricultural projects, considering their geographic and climatic advantages. Toto said, for instance, that Nueva Vizcaya could be a potential area for growing Taiwan’s semi-temperate fruits. Because of its proximity toTaiwan, the northern provinces can be a vegetable production base for big Taiwanese packers and exporters. The north could serve as production area for organic and hydroponics vegetables as well as crops produced in greenhouses.

Toto sees many other possibilities that could result with the organization of an RP-Taiwan farmers’ club. Farm tours in both countries, student and professor exchanges, apprenticeship for Filipino farmers in Taiwan are just a few.

^^a good excuse for ASEAN...but the real reason is CHINA...:D

Yes, Really.

Also the neo-imperialist China's influence in Philippine government is the real reasons why the super-intelligent Miriam
and her Kumadre GMA arrange to remove the Scarborough Shoals and Kalayaan Islands Group from the Philippine's
Territorial Baseline.

Indonesia will never do that stupidity. They will rather fight China.


Ceding national territory to China

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/ab/text.pl?issue=20090221;lang=eng;article=04




Void new Baseline Law

http://www.verafiles.org/index.php/focus/203-void-new-baselines-law-urge-constitutional-law-experts



Exclusion of Spratlys from Philippine Baseline is unconstitutional.

http://magdalo.org/2008/11/04/exclusion-of-spratlys-from-senate-baseline-bill-%e2%80%98unconstitutional%e2%80%99/



The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today slammed the 2009 Baseline Bill, saying that it kowtows to the demands of the Chinese government for the Philippines to surrender its claim of sovereignty over the Kalayaan Islands (Spratly Islands, in international nomenclature) and nearby Scarborough Shoals. The bill was approved Wednesday by the Senate and House of Representatives and will soon be signed into law by Arroyo.

“This is nothing but a sellout to China in exchange for the largesse that Gloria and Mike Arroyo have been receiving from corrupt Chinese bureaucrats and big compradors,” said the CPP. “Since Gloria Arroyo began entering into numerous anomalous deals with Chinese officials and corporations, she has been pressing for the outright elimination of the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough Shoals from the Philippine baseline in order to give way to the claim of the Chinese government of sovereignty over the islands.”

http://www.pinoypress.net/2009/02/22/arroyos-new-baseline-is-a-sellout-to-china-cpp/

Yes, Really.

Also the neo-imperialist China's influence in Philippine government is the real reasons why the super-intelligent Miriam
and her Kumadre GMA arrange to remove the Scarborough Shoals and Kalayaan Islands Group from the Philippine's
Territorial Baseline.

Indonesia will never do that stupidity. They will rather fight China.


Ceding national territory to China

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/ab/text.pl?issue=20090221;lang=eng;article=04




Void new Baseline Law

http://www.verafiles.org/index.php/focus/203-void-new-baselines-law-urge-constitutional-law-experts



Exclusion of Spratlys from Philippine Baseline is unconstitutional.

http://magdalo.org/2008/11/04/exclusion-of-spratlys-from-senate-baseline-bill-%e2%80%98unconstitutional%e2%80%99/



The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today slammed the 2009 Baseline Bill, saying that it kowtows to the demands of the Chinese government for the Philippines to surrender its claim of sovereignty over the Kalayaan Islands (Spratly Islands, in international nomenclature) and nearby Scarborough Shoals. The bill was approved Wednesday by the Senate and House of Representatives and will soon be signed into law by Arroyo.

“This is nothing but a sellout to China in exchange for the largesse that Gloria and Mike Arroyo have been receiving from corrupt Chinese bureaucrats and big compradors,” said the CPP. “Since Gloria Arroyo began entering into numerous anomalous deals with Chinese officials and corporations, she has been pressing for the outright elimination of the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough Shoals from the Philippine baseline in order to give way to the claim of the Chinese government of sovereignty over the islands.”

http://www.pinoypress.net/2009/02/22/arroyos-new-baseline-is-a-sellout-to-china-cpp/

See, CPP attacks her alleged "sponsor" China. Ayoko lang sa CPP walang Diyos at walang pakundangan sa buhay ng tao pero ang idea nila sa national sovereignty malinaw at very attractive for nationalist.

Attracted din ako sa Magdalo because they are fighting for the same reason. Iba lang political ideology nila and they believe also in armed struggle and iron fist governance.

I want a responsible democrative system.

so does that mean the bill is already in effect or what?

so does that mean the bill is already in effect or what?

do you mean the territorial baseline ? It became a law last February 2009
after it was approved and signed by GMA.

**********************************

http://www.malaya.com.ph/jun19/edtorde.htm


June 17, 2009

The four-month old Philippine baseline law got its first test last Friday and it failed miserably and embarrassingly.


‘The sad reality is that we cannot command obedience from intruders in our own territory

Last Friday, CNN reported a Chinese submarine collided with an underwater sonar array towed by the destroyer USS John S. McCain off the Philippines.

Other wire reports from Washington D.C. described the location as "off Subic Bay" in Zambales. Chinese media said the encounter was near Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippine government version of the location of the high seas collision, given two days after the incident, was closer to that of China. Defense Assistant Secretary Alberto Valenzuela said "it was 125 nautical miles off Subic, near the Scarborough Shoal, which is 123 nautical miles from Subic."

Under the baseline law, Scarborough shoal is part of Philippine territory classified as a "regime of islands." Inclusion of the shoal in Philippine territory was protested by China which also claims the shoal as well as the whole of South China Sea.

From the three versions of the location of the collision, it can be concluded that it is in Philippine territory. It can be likened to two quarreling bullies bringing their fight into the front yard a third party, which, in this case, is the Philippines.

What did the Philippines do after seeing the two intruders fighting in its front yard? Press Secretary Cerge Remonde showed his ignorance of the baseline law said the "the two ships were outside Philippine waters."

Someone, please give Remonde a copy of the baseline law and the UNCLOS (United Nations Commission on the Law of the Sea) treaty which the Philippines signed. Underline please the part where maritime regimes or zones are defined: territorial sea (12 nautical miles from the baseline), contiguous zone (24 nm), economic exclusive zone (200 nm), continental shelf (200 nm) and extended continental shelf (350 nm).

Don’t forget to give Remonde a copy of the Philippine Constitution and bookmark Article I, "The National Territory" which says. "The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas. The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines."

Valenzuela said there’s nothing to be concerned about because the incident occurred inside the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone but outside the country’s 12 nautical mile territorial waters. "Our concern is that we must be sure that no foreign vessels enter our territorial waters without authority. We cannot prohibit them from passing through (in economic zones)," he said.

Valenzuela is not quite accurate because since the new baseline law classifies Scarborough Shoal as regime of islands, it generates its own territorial and contiguous zones. That means 12 nautical miles from the shoal is still Philippine territorial waters.

By Valenzuela’s description that the incident happened "125 nautical miles off Subic, near the Scarborough Shoal, which is 123 nautical miles from Subic" proves that it was inside Philippine territorial waters which he himself said we should have jurisdiction over any ship in that area.

The first statement from Philippine Navy spokesman Edgard Arevalo said there was no request for the US for its warship to enter into Philippine waters and that there was no RP-US military exercise that would justify its presence there.

Valenzuela, on the other hand said the US ship actually came from an exercise between US and the Philippines and passed by Subic to refuel and for other logistics needs before sailing out of Philippine territorial waters.

It is understandable for Philippine officials to downplay the incident because what can it do? Protest the intrusion of the US and China?

One of the four attributes of a state is sovereignty (others are people, territory and government), the supreme right of the state to command obedience within the state.

The incident showed the sad reality that we cannot command obedience from intruders in our own territory. What are we then?


http://www.malaya.com.ph/jun19/edtorde.htm

Yes, Really.

Also the neo-imperialist China's influence in Philippine government is the real reasons why the super-intelligent Miriam
and her Kumadre GMA arrange to remove the Scarborough Shoals and Kalayaan Islands Group from the Philippine's
Territorial Baseline.

Indonesia will never do that stupidity. They will rather fight China.


Ceding national territory to China

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/ab/text.pl?issue=20090221;lang=eng;article=04




Void new Baseline Law

http://www.verafiles.org/index.php/focus/203-void-new-baselines-law-urge-constitutional-law-experts



Exclusion of Spratlys from Philippine Baseline is unconstitutional.

http://magdalo.org/2008/11/04/exclusion-of-spratlys-from-senate-baseline-bill-%e2%80%98unconstitutional%e2%80%99/



The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today slammed the 2009 Baseline Bill, saying that it kowtows to the demands of the Chinese government for the Philippines to surrender its claim of sovereignty over the Kalayaan Islands (Spratly Islands, in international nomenclature) and nearby Scarborough Shoals. The bill was approved Wednesday by the Senate and House of Representatives and will soon be signed into law by Arroyo.

“This is nothing but a sellout to China in exchange for the largesse that Gloria and Mike Arroyo have been receiving from corrupt Chinese bureaucrats and big compradors,” said the CPP. “Since Gloria Arroyo began entering into numerous anomalous deals with Chinese officials and corporations, she has been pressing for the outright elimination of the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough Shoals from the Philippine baseline in order to give way to the claim of the Chinese government of sovereignty over the islands.”

http://www.pinoypress.net/2009/02/22/arroyos-new-baseline-is-a-sellout-to-china-cpp/

^^correct me if I'm wrong but there is an existing agreement or treaty (don't know the correct term) that prohibits claimant countries from doing anything that will endanger the stability of the Spratly Islands

In response to the title of the thread ... why not focusing ourselves on NOT leaving the country for good and staying in the Philippines in order to build up the economy and INDUSTRY sector so Filipinos won't have to leave the country anymore. It's a small sacrifice, but hey we're not starting from nothing. So, the Filipino plight of not leaving the country shouldn't be nearly as unbearable as it was for Koreans after the Korean War and WWII and Japan after WWII.

I suggest we focus on big Industry and technology to build up. Look at how quickly and how far Hyundai, Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Lotte, Kia, Nongshim, Ottogi, Hanjin etc. spiraled Korea out of its misery from 40 years ago. Look at how Sharp, Asahi, Sony, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Yamaha, Toyota, Panasonic, Casio, Sanyo, Shiseido, Nintendo (the list grows indefinitely) spiraled Japan out of being flattened a little over 50 years ago.

Now look at what China's doing! They recently bought out Volvo. I can't even believe that. After 1980's when they started opening up significantly and after they started privatizing state run industries, they had huge companies taking them out of destitution (there are still many destitute Chinese though), Haier, Lenovo, Chongqing, Xiamen C&D etc. It is harder to compare ourselves with China though because they have an abundance of resources ... their steel industry, for example, is huge. South Korea and Japan are better examples for us to follow because they were both small poor nations like us after the war, and yet their technological developments and industry in a nation of scarce resources took them to the top of the list of the world's most influential economies.

What's stopping the Philippines from turning its focus to industry? I really think it's possible for Industry to flip the Philippines into a much better off 1st world nation.

^^ your question "What's stopping the Philippines from turning its focus to industry?"

the answer is really easy..
THE PEOPLE.
Filipinos have no ambitions.. they'd just rather lie down and do nothing..
Sobra init kasi ang weather sa Pilipinas e.. tamad kumilos ang mga tao..

Yeah, I see where you're coming from, but what does it tell you that we don't bother to do this because of the weather? That's not much of an excuse. Taiwan is equally as hot and humid (if not more), yet you don't see them falling behind like us because of the same excuse. And even if we are a LITTLE bit (at most) hotter, we can't really use that excuse if Taiwan operated under the same conditions and yet still built themselves up. Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia - the same. Last time I checked, a lot of the research developments aren't done outdoors.

In response to the title of the thread ... why not focusing ourselves on NOT leaving the country for good and staying in the Philippines in order to build up the economy and INDUSTRY sector so Filipinos won't have to leave the country anymore. It's a small sacrifice, but hey we're not starting from nothing. So, the Filipino plight of not leaving the country shouldn't be nearly as unbearable as it was for Koreans after the Korean War and WWII and Japan after WWII.

I suggest we focus on big Industry and technology to build up. Look at how quickly and how far Hyundai, Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Lotte, Kia, Nongshim, Ottogi, Hanjin etc. spiraled Korea out of its misery from 40 years ago. Look at how Sharp, Asahi, Sony, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Yamaha, Toyota, Panasonic, Casio, Sanyo, Shiseido, Nintendo (the list grows indefinitely) spiraled Japan out of being flattened a little over 50 years ago.

Now look at what China's doing! They recently bought out Volvo. I can't even believe that. After 1980's when they started opening up significantly and after they started privatizing state run industries, they had huge companies taking them out of destitution (there are still many destitute Chinese though), Haier, Lenovo, Chongqing, Xiamen C&D etc. It is harder to compare ourselves with China though because they have an abundance of resources ... their steel industry, for example, is huge. South Korea and Japan are better examples for us to follow because they were both small poor nations like us after the war, and yet their technological developments and industry in a nation of scarce resources took them to the top of the list of the world's most influential economies.

What's stopping the Philippines from turning its focus to industry? I really think it's possible for Industry to flip the Philippines into a much better off 1st world nation.

Agree here!:cheers:

Problem is high power rates, red tape, corruption , poor infrastructure and lack of government support hinder our capacity to devlop our industry..

But if we want to, we can do it.

Just consider the very busy Tsuineshi and Shipbuiding, Hanjin and other local shipbuilding companies in the country.We build tankers and ships.

Do you know we also produce electrical and non-electric machinery? We export automotive products?

Maybe the next president will be supportive of our industry.

^^ your question "What's stopping the Philippines from turning its focus to industry?"

the answer is really easy..
THE PEOPLE.
Filipinos have no ambitions.. they'd just rather lie down and do nothing..
Sobra init kasi ang weather sa Pilipinas e.. tamad kumilos ang mga tao..


I beg to disagree.

Its unfair to Pinoys to say that especially coming from a former Pinoy.

You have gone to far here.

Masyado ka naman mapanglait ng lahing PInoy.

Hindi mo alam sinasabi mo,o ignorante ka tungkol sa Pinoy, with all due respect.

Kaya para may Pinoy diaspora at kahit sa Namibia at Angola may Pinoy at nakikipag sapalaran para mabuhay at matupad ang ambisyon.

See, CPP attacks her alleged "sponsor" China. Ayoko lang sa CPP walang Diyos at walang pakundangan sa buhay ng tao pero ang idea nila sa national sovereignty malinaw at very attractive for nationalist.

Attracted din ako sa Magdalo because they are fighting for the same reason. Iba lang political ideology nila and they believe also in armed struggle and iron fist governance.

I want a responsible democrative system.

i kind of agree, especially with the iron-fist governance part, that's how our neighbors succeeded

In response to the title of the thread ... why not focusing ourselves on NOT leaving the country for good and staying in the Philippines in order to build up the economy and INDUSTRY sector so Filipinos won't have to leave the country anymore. It's a small sacrifice, but hey we're not starting from nothing. So, the Filipino plight of not leaving the country shouldn't be nearly as unbearable as it was for Koreans after the Korean War and WWII and Japan after WWII.

I suggest we focus on big Industry and technology to build up. Look at how quickly and how far Hyundai, Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Lotte, Kia, Nongshim, Ottogi, Hanjin etc. spiraled Korea out of its misery from 40 years ago. Look at how Sharp, Asahi, Sony, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Yamaha, Toyota, Panasonic, Casio, Sanyo, Shiseido, Nintendo (the list grows indefinitely) spiraled Japan out of being flattened a little over 50 years ago.

Now look at what China's doing! They recently bought out Volvo. I can't even believe that. After 1980's when they started opening up significantly and after they started privatizing state run industries, they had huge companies taking them out of destitution (there are still many destitute Chinese though), Haier, Lenovo, Chongqing, Xiamen C&D etc. It is harder to compare ourselves with China though because they have an abundance of resources ... their steel industry, for example, is huge. South Korea and Japan are better examples for us to follow because they were both small poor nations like us after the war, and yet their technological developments and industry in a nation of scarce resources took them to the top of the list of the world's most influential economies.

What's stopping the Philippines from turning its focus to industry? I really think it's possible for Industry to flip the Philippines into a much better off 1st world nation.

^^people are leaving for the obvious reason that there's not much of an opportunity here...if there is, it's not enough for ordinary pinoys to have at least a decent life...

^^people are leaving for the obvious reason that there's not much of an opportunity here...if there is, it's not enough for ordinary pinoys to have at least a decent life...

True, and I definitely understand what you're saying, but look at it this way: it takes a generation to make a sacrifice for the following generations. There are a lot of Filipinos leaving the country with that mentality. Every time a Filipino leaves the country, you can say goodbye to another genius entrepreneur, another inventor, another businessman, another doctor, another research scientist, another architect, another nurse, another musician, another laborer, another STUDENT etc. That's killing our future! Don't you want all Pinoys to have a decent life in their own country?

I hate to always revert to this story, but it's the most applicable to our situation. After the Korean war, the economy increased TEN fold in less than 30 years. They completely flipped their agrarian-subsistence based economies (similar to ours) to a modern, technologically advanced industrial power. They had an even crappier standard of living than Filipinos do now (below Haiti and Ethiopia), and they had to pick up from scratch after being decimated from war. To sum it all up, they banked on building human capital and educating their people. Unlike Filipinos now, they actually returned to their country to share their knowledge and experience. They also instilled their people with a great sense of patriotism. The second phase of their development focused on an export centered industry. South Korea had to put themselves out there as much as possible knowing that there would be a person out their to buy their stuff. If you remember like I do, Korean products used to be awful. Hyundai cars were awful, unreliable and cheap, but they didn't stop because of that. Hyundai now rivals the upper class automobiles in performance and luxury. Korean LG TV's are now technologically surpassing Japanese TV screens (example: TruMotion LED back light technology). I was so impressed to discover this after always being convinced that in Asia, Japanese ingenuity was insurmountable in technological development. South Korea then worked on stabilizing their progress. This all happened within the short span of a generation. It took the hard work and pride of one generation to reap the benefits of their hard work. Now look at their standard of living. Sure, the Filipino standard of living right now is not great. It'll take hard work, but it can be solved.

My question is: Is the reason why we're forestalling our potential to grow into an industrial powerhouse because of a lack of faith and patriotism?

If we can pull this off, the Philippines would be the tiger of Asia. We have beautiful people, musical talent that could rival K-pop and J-pop, heavenly tourist destinations, amazing food, and soon to come: a modern and industrialized country. Our cities would be jaw dropping to visit, there would always be an abundance of things to do, we'd be a lot cleaner, the poor wouldn't be so destitute, and most importantly, the Filipino standard of living will increase.

@jpdm: I sincerely hope the next president of the Philippines will recognize our talent and will greatly sponsor our industry. This can start by ending our worship of imported goods so that way we can create out own products that not only we can buy and respect but everyone else on the globe. Shifting the economy to a more industrial based one is almost if not equally as important as eradicating the corruption that plagues the country.

^^that is not the fault of ordinary pinoys if they want a better life...IMO, i think most pinoys are willing to sacrifice for their country...but if they will have to choose between country and family...obviously, family comes first

^^Very well said, epik II ian.

because the kind of leaders pinoys have want the population to remain a feudal society with the masses poor and ignorant in order they keep the status quo. Just look at the mentality of allowing shanties to proliferate so they can get votes , this is a common practice by the politicians and accepted by the people. When you have leaders like that your country will ramain poor and the natural reaction of an exasperated pinoy is to take the easier way out and leave the country to migrate somewhere else. We are China Japan and Korea's blessings and dreams, We are dumping grounds of their products if you look at the malls everything is imported and pinoys have to pay twice ,thrice what other peoples usually pay for the same goods. the ofw money is doing a little disservice too, in that there are people who can continually afford these inflated prices. Even fruits imported from other countries, I don't see any imported fruits from the PHilippines sold in other countries at mass quantities at inflated prices. So we are screwed. the ofw monies are encouraging consumption but they are actually helping other countries for the most part since most products are from other countries.
We need to produce things that are high value, just producing anything. We are other countries' consumers and we will be forever an ofw country if nothing is changed. the people vote for popular candidates and not the best candidate ,like noynoy for instance. a generation has passed and not much has changed.

My question is: Is the reason why we're forestalling our potential to grow into an industrial powerhouse because of a lack of faith and patriotism?



^^seeking a better life is not being unpatriotic...it's the lack of opportunity...include pa corruption and the hobby of pinoy to elect inept officials...

^^that is not the fault of ordinary pinoys if they want a better life...IMO, i think most pinoys are willing to sacrifice for their country...but if they will have to choose between country and family...obviously, family comes first

Yes, and I would fully agree with what you said if most of the country wasn't in that shape that you mentioned. There are too many people with that same problem. If everyone leaves like they're doing, what are we left with? We can't afford having more people leave. We can't afford to have our economy fueled by the remains of our own overseas workers who aren't even IN the nation! We also can't afford to lack motivation and do nothing like some people have said. Sure, if the Philippines was a well off nation and there was a family out there that just couldn't make it and needed to leave to a place of better opportunity, I'd completely support them leaving to a place where they can manage to support themselves. However, that's not the case. The Filipinos have to stay and support their families who will hopefully stay and raise their families in the Philippines as well. Right now, everyone is the same predicament, and everyone has to work together to lift themselves out of that predicament.

P.S. Yeah, I don't like how corrupt officials are always "elected" into office either. It hurts to watch them continue to screw over the nation. It really does.

Yes, seeking a better life is not unpatriotic. I understand and agree with you, but WAY too many people are seeking a better life. That's why we need to get to the root of the problem now so we can kill it and get it over with.

@ Crappypants: I agree with you [:

because the kind of leaders pinoys have want the population to remain a feudal society with the masses poor and ignorant in order they keep the status quo. Just look at the mentality of allowing shanties to proliferate so they can get votes , this is a common practice by the politicians and accepted by the people. When you have leaders like that your country will ramain poor and the natural reaction of an exasperated pinoy is to take the easier way out and leave the country to migrate somewhere else. We are China Japan and Korea's blessings and dreams, We are dumping grounds of their products if you look at the malls everything is imported and pinoys have to pay twice ,thrice what other peoples usually pay for the same goods. the ofw money is doing a little disservice too, in that there are people who can continually afford these inflated prices. Even fruits imported from other countries, I don't see any imported fruits from the PHilippines sold in other countries at mass quantities at inflated prices. So we are screwed. the ofw monies are encouraging consumption but they are actually helping other countries for the most part since most products are from other countries.
We need to produce things that are high value, just producing anything. We are other countries' consumers and we will be forever an ofw country if nothing is changed. the people vote for popular candidates and not the best candidate ,like noynoy for instance. a generation has passed and not much has changed.

^^agree...it's not the fault of the common pinoys...i think it's very unfair to ask for a sacrifice knowing what the outcome will be given our current political leaders

Do you know the salary of an ordinary pinoy compared to the prices of goods , it is sad. they have first world prices but third world salaries. this has been the situation for ages, the population pressure is not going to make it better as more demand will just make it worst for an ordinary pinoy , it would seem migrating with bigger salaries will be the only option. Take a look at starbucks ,a cup costs the same as prices in the western world, but a cup of starbucks will eat 25% % of their daily salary, yet it is packed . who's getting richer the sole franchisee of Starbucks which i believe is owned by rustans. So Starbucks and rustans are getting rich at the sole expense of ofw money. yet it's not adding much in terms of economic gain for the country.

^^it will go on and on...

Do you know the salary of an ordinary pinoy compared to the prices of goods , it is sad. they have first world prices but third world salaries. this has been the situation for ages, the population pressure is not going to make it better as more demand will just make it worst for an ordinary pinoy , it would seem migrating with bigger salaries will be the only option.

If you loved your country as much as you do, what good are you doing for it if you supported the idea that everyone should just get up and leave if they're suffering economic hardship and a sub-par standard of living? Do you know how many people would leave? Do you know what a hit to the back the Philippines would take? It's already taking a huge hit to the back right now. Yes, working for the future is hard especially if you don't see yourself INSTANTLY gratified. But this takes work and a lot of time. It takes ingenuity, creativity and a big spoonful of faith. Everyone has to pull themselves out somehow. The catch is: everyone has to do it together. Way too many people are stuck in the situation you all have mentioned. If you want the people to be able to afford that same cup of Starbucks coffee, we'll have to work to improve our standard of living so MOST employed people can afford that cup of coffee. What you don't do is send people overseas so they can afford that cup of coffee. That's not how the Philippines will survive.

Our problem has been festering for WAY TOO long. It's about time we work to put an end to it. I love it when I see People-power movements. I love it when people unite because they want the government to stop screwing them over. It means that the people want change and they're willing to work for the future.
With the impending elections, I'm really hoping the next president can take an iron fist and eradicate a big deal of corruption and focus on industry.

^^do you think it's fair to ask for a sacrifice knowing that there is no clear outcome given the current crop of political leaders?...is seeking a better life tantamount to being unpatriotic?...

... we need to elect a Lee Kuan yew...

'Vietnam ready for ASEAN Chair role in 2010' (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=535280&publicationSubCategoryId=200)
(philstar.com) Updated December 23, 2009 10:30 PM

HANOI (Xinhua) - Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem said here on Wednesday that Vietnam is ready for the role as the chair of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year.

Khiem made the remarks while receiving the Secretary-General of ASEAN Surin Pitsuwan here on Wednesday during his working visit to Vietnam from Tuesday to Thursday.

The Vietnamese deputy prime minister proposed that the ASEAN Secretary-General and ASEAN Secretariat closely coordinate with Vietnam, share information and support the country so that Vietnam could successfully assume the role as ASEAN Chair next year.

Khiem said that Vietnam and ASEAN should prioritize enhancing dialogue and cooperation on issues of common interest in 2010, increasing understanding and trust among member countries, promoting cooperation with partner countries and increasing the efficiency of cooperation activities within ASEAN and related forums for peace, stability and development in the region.

Those priorities would help countries effectively cope with challenges such as the economic crisis, climate change, disasters, epidemics, terrorism, transnational crimes and sea security, according to Khiem.

Khiem said that one of the most important tasks of ASEAN is to promote connections and narrow the developmental gap among ASEAN countries.

Surin Pitsuwan said that he highly appreciates Vietnam's role in ASEAN cooperation.

The ASEAN Secretary-General held that with a stable political situation, an economy developing strongly and actively, and an rising international role and position, Vietnam would actively contribute to the development of ASEAN and the implementation of ASEAN targets.

The secretary-general also valued Vietnam's preparations for the role as ASEAN Chair in 2010 and agreed with directions and priorities for next year that Vietnam put forward.

The priorities are in line with the current focus of ASEAN in its operation and would make important contributions to the building process of ASEAN Community.

Surin Pitsuwan said he and the ASEAN Secretariat would support and closely coordinate with Vietnam in 2010 so that Vietnam could assume the ASEAN Chair successfully, contributing to the success of the association.

Vietnam will begin its role as the ASEAN Chair next year by holding the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat, the third Meeting of ASEAN Political-Security Community Council and Special Meeting of ASEAN Coordinating Council scheduled to take place in the country' s central city of Danang in mid January 2010.




Vietnam secures $500m loan from World Bank (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8427709.stm)

The World Bank has approved a $500m (£313m) loan to Vietnam, its largest to the South East Asian country.

The loan will be provided by the bank's low-interest lending arm, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

This is the division that lends to middle-income countries rather than the world's poorest nations. This is the first time it has lent to Vietnam.

The money will be used to bolster a programme of public investment reforms.

"This is a significant milestone for Vietnam, a country which will have moved from the category of highly indebted country to middle-income status in less than seven years," said Jim Adams at the World Bank.

However, the country needs the loan to help it continue with its public investment programme in the face of the global downturn.

"Over the last two years, Vietnam has experienced a succession of shocks, starting with massive capital inflows in 2007, a surge in commodity prices in 2008 and export declines as a result of the global economic crisis," the bank said.

The loan is needed to help secure the country's future growth, it added.

i also agree with you @ Ian, the best way is for the best and brightest to stay in the country that is the only way it will end the cycle, and if we actually get a great leader who has this vision and not just a self serving one . it doesn't help that when a pinoy gets successful abroad they usually forget they're filipinos and adapt so well to their host country.

^^so let's vote for Gordon-Bayani...:D:D:D

^ I agree crappypants. I COMPLETELY agree with your statement about Filipino adaptability. I see that mentality way too much in Filipino Americans. It's depressing.

^^do you think it's fair to ask for a sacrifice knowing that there is no clear outcome given the current crop of political leaders?...is seeking a better life tantamount to being unpatriotic?...

... we need to elect a Lee Kuan yew...

Yes we definitely need a Lee Kuan Yew or a Park Chung-hee!
The country is run by the people, and if everyone can just muster up their desire to end corruption right now, it's doable. Does it take a widespread People's Power movement? Perhaps. Does it take Tienanmen Square? Perhaps. It seems more like a fantasy than a reality, but it's possible. A government can't keep screwing over the people if that's not what the people want. If the people can manage to stop sitting back and watching themselves get screwed they can put an end to corruption themselves.

^^yeah...it's sad to see our country languishing knowing that we can do more...

the culture has to be modified a bit. there is this kanya kanya mentality in the masses and no sense of community. For example the sign "tapat mo linis mo" on the superficial level it seems noble and teaches accountability but dig deeper this is actually wrong as it fosters kanya kanya attitude. I see people sweeping everyday but will not sweep the garbage two feet in front of them since it's not in their assigned square box. You can see this in public areas, public roads where there is no jurisdiction, it is left to rot and decay. The community spirit is lost.

^^so let's vote for Gordon-Bayani...:D:D:D

Of all the candidates they're the ones with the qualities which i feel have a shot at changing the current Philippine situation.

^^same here crappy

^^ Exactly!

The other thing I wish would end, and I know some people will disagree with me on this is: fierce regionalistic attitude. I see way too many people prioritizing the region they come from (Ilocos, Bikol, Visays, Pampanga etc.) way over their country. They quickly identify themselves from their region before their country. The Philippines comes FAR behind in second place. I know that during the Pre-Hispanic era the Philippines wasn't united, but it is now. That's the situation we're in. We now have (and are still developing) an all encompassing Filipino culture. I respect that everybody identifies with their region. I really do. It's really important that we don't lose this attitude. Each region is deep in culture, and each region has woven its threads into the big beautiful fabric that is Philippine culture. That's what I think is important to realize. However, what it kills me to see is how other regions refuse to cooperate and practically hate each other because they see themselves as far better than those from another region. Visayans, Bikolanos, Ilokanos etc. all hating each other and SEGREGATING themselves from one another because of where they're from IN the (same) country. This attitude has gone farther than it needs to have gone. My Filipino heritage stems from Pampanga, and I joined this group on Facebook for Kapampangans and I saw this propsition thread called: The nation of Pampanga? I flipped out. I've also heard of propositions for the nation of Ilocos, and the nation of Mindanao etc. Some people do believe they're better than others, and you can't prevent that. However, a lot of Filipinos take it farther than they need to, and I feel this is another thing barring ourselves from unity. China has different provinces, but as a whole, they are still China. South Korea and Japan have different provinces as well, but all together they compose South Korea and Japan, respectively. I think it's good to respect how beautiful our regional culture is, but to put it much farther than the nation is really our Achilles heel. Not EVERYBODY has this attitude, but a great deal of people do possess this attitude.

^^many private individuals here in Bicol are pushing for Bicol Autonomy. It's being headed by Dante Jimenez of VACC (Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption).

It's a little step towards independence, I must say!

NO unity and foreign adulation. another damaged part of the culture. Just look at the foreign B movies infiltrating all the cinemas that nobody in other countries give a time of day to watching. that's ofw money going out of the country wasted. Money spent on foreigns made products because of pinoy's love for imported goods. imported goods are always better and now even cheap low quality imported goods. Mr. Sy is laughing his way to the bank , he makes everything from toilet paper , to detergents to botteld water all manufactured in CHina at first world prices while his employees are skinny as stick since they can't even afford proper nutrition.

^ Yeap. Totally agree.


@hakz2007 Sighh... what do you think of it? Do you see a future of no more Philippines ... and just a bunch of little pieces of land nations all neighboring each other? I'm not a fan of this. Can Bicol support itself as a nation with everything it needs? I'm afraid if Bicol starts this and actually succeeds it's going to start a whole chain reaction of undesirable events. I like their focus of Anti Crime and Corruption, but do you honestly feel that they are directing their energy in the right area???

i think if there is a credible competent central govt. there wouldn't be a problem with these secession movements.
Know our weakness and work with them. What are our strengths and capitalize on it ? our large population can either be an asset or a liability. It can be an asset if we educate every single Filipino and not just the children of rich Filipinos, good education and not just the whim of ofw flavor of the month. if the govt. really prioritizes on this it will bear fruit in a decade or two. Nature is also our strength, we are not taking care of our nature by destroying and overpopulating . Tourism can be a big asset bu it's still not harnessed 100% to its full potential.
the local mayors must be eradicated and replaced If you have binays and cunetas and pewees, revillas, as role models of the masses, we are screwed forever. Can you imagine these clowns advocating for population control when they have a thousand offspring.

^^ True. I hope they can wait to pull this petition for secession off until after the elections. Now I'm REALLY crossing my fingers for next year. If we don't get the RIGHT leader with a strong will and good policies, a horrible chain of events could occur.

^ Yeap. Totally agree.


@hakz2007 Sighh... what do you think of it? Do you see a future of no more Philippines ... and just a bunch of little pieces of land nations all neighboring each other? I'm not a fan of this. Can Bicol support itself as a nation with everything it needs? I'm afraid if Bicol starts this and actually succeeds it's going to start a whole chain reaction of undesirable events. I like their focus of Anti Crime and Corruption, but do you honestly feel that they are directing their energy in the right area???

They are actually pushing for an ARMM-like system of government. But I don't want the Philippines be broken into pieces of tiny nations just like the Former Yugoslavia.

By the way, here's some news taken from Daet and Camarines Norte Province THread. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=48785201#post48785201)

Launching of Bicol Autonomy Movement and Signing of Draft Charter for Bicol Autonomous Region! (http://planet.naga.ph/launching-of-bicol-autonomy-movement-and-signing-of-draft-charter-for-bicol-autonomous-region/)

The Bicol Autonomy Movement was launched last 8 December 2009 at Daet, Camarines Norte. The event started with a motorcade/rally to the Cathedral wherein a Holy Mass was celebrated. The launching and charter signing ceremonies, conducted at the Bantayog ni Rizal, then followed.

http://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/73d64805ef941a410fad56cad4eb808a.jpghttp://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/67da6e7333db17fd008adeb061c282b7.jpghttp://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/9a9114ea536b16ca6ca591bb5b502b36.jpg

http://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/11329249274b7f4468e1230c96550a7d.jpghttp://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/5c9533c12cabad13ec87140b999c60fb.jpghttp://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/8690c3e970c2720acf25cb7494c74162.jpg

http://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/1758e2fa44d39787fe20be06bab38b60.jpghttp://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/0642240936200e5f32ee93097da84a95.jpg

http://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/7c460e676fe8f094a23b1881779fcb28.jpghttp://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/eb559764041abe59468aae61b59e3a2a.jpg

Financing an autonomous Bicolandia (http://planet.naga.ph/financing-an-autonomous-bicolandia/)

OFFHAND, I salute the Bicol Autonomy Movement for raising discussion on federalism to another level. The proposed charter (http://nagueno.blogspot.com/2009/12/proposed-charter-of-bicol-autonomous.html) for a Bicol Autonomous Region (BAR) finally provides a clear starting point for a meaningful conversation on the issue, which is a sentimental one for Bikolanos.

This is certainly far more important than the ongoing furious inane air war (http://nagueno.blogspot.com/2009/12/ateneo-forum-on-datos-dam.html) between Dato Arroyo and LRay Villafuerte over the Libmanan-Cabusao Dam Project that has become very irritating and proves only one thing: they both have oodles and oddles of money whose questionable provenance, given their meager salaries as public officials, is what local radio stations should be investigating.

But you can't expect local radio stations, whose management are laughing their way to the bank, to care a whit, can you? The faster the burn rate, the better for them.

Anyway, the establishment of a regional government akin to the one in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is a concrete step towards this aspiration -- which clearly does not need tinkering with th3 1987 Constitution.

But one nagging question that must be answered: can the BAR fly for the long haul? Or stated differently, will it be able to sustain itself?

http://planet.naga.ph/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/b270affdb51be47499a0ef85ea321d5e.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0vuQhag2Uqk/SymVEAime4I/AAAAAAAAAfM/2eopqleBaqk/s1600-h/Comparative+Unitary+vs+Federal.jpg)I have strong reservations that it will.

Article XI (Fiscal Autonomy) consists of nine sections that essentially lays down the mechanics as to how the proposed BAR regional government will fund itself.

Section 1 provides that it will retain 80% of all national revenue taxes imposed, as well as the income derived from utilization of national resources in the BAR.

Section 4 identifies the main sources of revenue for the regional government, including the imposition of its own taxes, national transfers, share in both tax and non-tax revenues collection in the BAR, block grants and other forms of donations, aid or endowments.

Section 5 defines how the sharing scheme for the 80% share of national revenue taxes to be retained will be shared between the BAR (40%) and its component local governments (provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays).

In addition, Article XIX (Transitory Provisions) also provide two additional interim funding source: a P25 million initial outlay to support the operations of the interim regional government (Sec. 4), and P10 billion annual outlay for priority infrastructure projects over its first five years of existence (Sec. 13).

But totaling all of the above, as summarized in the accompanying chart, shows that the region will be worse off by at least P5 billion annually under the proposed BAR than under the current setup. For one, DBM data here (http://www.dbm.gov.ph/BESF09/B.8.pdf) shows that in the current 2009 budget, Bicol already gets a total funding allocation of P35 billion, spread throughout the regional offices of national government agencies, the local governments (mainly their IRA share (http://www.dbm.gov.ph/lbm61.htm)), as well as the pork barrel of its legislators and its share in the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Fund.

Of the total, almost P19 billion are allocated for the regional offices of various line and staff departments of the national government, which in theory is what will be devolved to the proposed regional government; DepEd accounts for almost P11 billion of this, which effectively is the cost for providing basic public education services in the region. The proposed charter failed to fully factor in the cost of these devolved services.

Can the BAR cover this huge funding shortfall by getting half of the 80% of internal revenue taxes that will be retained in Bicol, as Section 1 of Article XI proposes? Hardly. The 2007 report of BIR collections (ftp://ftp.bir.gov.ph/webadmin1/pdf/42114CY%202007%20Coll_web.pdf) show that Bicol contributes only 0.53% of the internal revenue taxes. Using this data, this translates to a share of only P1.5 billion for the BAR regional government.

And because the P10 billion outlay for insfrastructure is a special purpose fund that cannot be used to defray to cost of other essential services defined under Section 2 of Article VI, we are looking at a gaping funding shortfall of at least P17.5 billion annually.

Will the BAR's proposed taxing powers and other revenue sources make up for it? The huge difficulties being faced by the national government's revenue agencies, mainly the BIR and Customs, in plugging this year's deficit -- projected to hit P320 billion (http://ph.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20091208/tbs-philippines-economy-budget-8bedc88.html) -- does not inspire confidence.

It is stuff like these -- financing and institutional arrangements that will help make sure that the proposed Bicol autonomous region will be sustainable over the long run -- that needs to be examined and reexamined, both by proponents and critics of the BAR. As things stand, a federal Philippines will never be able to fly if no equalizing mechanisms will be adopted, in the face of current realities where the National Capital Region accounts for 87% of the internal revenues of the national government. Clearly, one cannot treat unequals equally.

There are other considerations that matter as well (for instance, are provincial governments a redundancy under a system of regional autonomy, or not?), and I will try to cover them later. But certainly, the Bikol Autonomy Movement does need to review the provisions of its draft charter in regard to the sustainable financing for the proposed BAR.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14509619-6996294625077550067?l=nagueno.blogspot.com

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Dapat magkaroon din ng North Tagalog Autonomous Region that will compose of Tagalog provinces located north and East of Manila, then it's capital shall be in Malolos...... kailangan humiwalay na rin kami sa RP. :)


This is just a joke........

I guess the Tagalog region will be the last to secede from the Republic when every region is gone.

@jpdm: I sincerely hope the next president of the Philippines will recognize our talent and will greatly sponsor our industry. This can start by ending our worship of imported goods so that way we can create out own products that not only we can buy and respect but everyone else on the globe. Shifting the economy to a more industrial based one is almost if not equally as important as eradicating the corruption that plagues the country.


110% agree with you!!!

We want to prosper?We want to be rich?

Buy local produce, build our industrial capability and produce world class products just like japan, Korea and now China!!!:cheers::cheers:

My take, no Philippine President in his right mind will want to see a divided PHilippines like Yugoslavia.

Tamaan wag magagalit pero fuck those people who want to see this country dismembered.

And If that time comes when all of these ambitious selfish local officials who want to secede from the Philippine republic, I willl join any national group that will kill and destroy these traitors and protect that national patrimony and sovereignty of the Philippine Republic.

My take, no Philippine President in his right mind will want to see a divided PHilippines like Yugoslavia.

Tamaan wag magagalit pero fuck those people who want to see this country dismembered.

And If that time comes when all of these ambitious selfish local officials who want to secede from the Philippine republic, I willl join any national group that will kill and destroy these traitors and protect that national patrimony and sovereignty of the Philippine Republic.

That will be the problem if there is a Federal sytem, everybody will want to secede and have their own republic.

Actually Cordillera Autonomous Regions and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao should be the first and last Autonomous regions in the Philippines since they have quite different culture with the mainstream Filipino society.

BUT advocating and allowing Bicol, Eastern Mindanao, and Central Visayas to have their own Autonomous Region is tantamount to treason. The officials and founder of their movement should be arrested for national security reasons.



By the way we can name the upcoming Federation as :

Socialist Islamic Christian Federal Philippines or SIC Federal Philippines

That will be the problem if there is a Federal sytem, everybody will want to have their own republic.

Actually Cordillera Autonomous Regions and Autonomours Region of Muslim Mindanao should be the first and last Autonomous regions since they have different culture and quite different with the mainstream Filipino society.

BUT allowing Bicol, Eastern Mindanao, and Central Visayas to have their own Autonomous Region is tantamount to treason.

Anytime, I will join the cause of anyone who will maintain the territorial integrity of this republic and I will help in ANY manner to destroy and wipe up these traitors.

what"s the difference with "autonomous" like the ARMM and CAR than those ordinary regions like Caraga and Northern Mindanao? pls cite the advantages.

kahit saan tayo magbasa or makinig, yung secession issue talaga ang nakakabit sa federal system na yan. kaya no way sa federal na yan. Mabuhay Ang Nagkakaisang Republika ng PILIPINAS!

hi jpdm. nosebleed naman ako sa mga post mo, anyway, to answer the TS, it's the corruption again. ha ha ha, di kayang e-ilaborate......pansin ko lang, yung tinutulungan ng DTI na mga SME's, hindi talaga siya sumasagot sa current NEEDS ng ating society ngayon. Yung mga nabasa kong mga articles from them, oo nga pang-export, pero puro naman mga house decors, dried mangoes and other fruits, sana ang pagtuunan ng pansin, yung business na ipapropagate eh yung mga products na iniimport natin like yung sa livestock at rice, dapat yun ang pagtuonan. sana ang ibibisnis na most of the SME's ay yung kelangang SUPPLY ng most of the pinoys kasi nga ang demand ay sobrang laki.

^^many private individuals here in Bicol are pushing for Bicol Autonomy. It's being headed by Dante Jimenez of VACC (Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption).

It's a little step towards independence, I must say!

^^is there a need to create one?

i think if there is a credible competent central govt. there wouldn't be a problem with these secession movements.
Know our weakness and work with them. What are our strengths and capitalize on it ? our large population can either be an asset or a liability. It can be an asset if we educate every single Filipino and not just the children of rich Filipinos, good education and not just the whim of ofw flavor of the month. if the govt. really prioritizes on this it will bear fruit in a decade or two. Nature is also our strength, we are not taking care of our nature by destroying and overpopulating . Tourism can be a big asset bu it's still not harnessed 100% to its full potential.
the local mayors must be eradicated and replaced If you have binays and cunetas and pewees, revillas, as role models of the masses, we are screwed forever. Can you imagine these clowns advocating for population control when they have a thousand offspring.

^^agree...and a very strong president...

^^many private individuals here in Bicol are pushing for Bicol Autonomy. It's being headed by Dante Jimenez of VACC (Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption).

It's a little step towards independence, I must say!

Independence from what? :bash: I think this will just create more of a conflict than help resolve the country's ongoing issue on national unity...

Everybody wanted to pull themselves out of RP.....
Poor Philippines...

I do not believe the ones who initiated this imo wants something better for their province but instead wants something for themselves....:nuts:

Anytime, I will join the cause of anyone who will maintain the territorial integrity of this republic and I will help in ANY manner to destroy and wipe up these traitors.

I'm with you....

^^i think there is a need to stop this so called creation of Autonomous Regions. It will not help our country...but we can't blame them for doing so...look at our central government and what are its priorities...yung developments are concentrated so much sa NCR and the nearby areas...the rest are being neglected...:)

That will be the problem if there is a Federal sytem, everybody will want to secede and have their own republic.

Actually Cordillera Autonomous Regions and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao should be the first and last Autonomous regions in the Philippines since they have quite different culture with the mainstream Filipino society.

BUT advocating and allowing Bicol, Eastern Mindanao, and Central Visayas to have their own Autonomous Region is tantamount to treason. The officials and founder of their movement should be arrested for national security reasons.



By the way we can name the upcoming Federation as :

Socialist Islamic Christian Federal Philippines or SIC Federal Philippines

^^i am in favor of Federalism provided that any form of secession should be outlawed

^^ Exactly!

The other thing I wish would end, and I know some people will disagree with me on this is: fierce regionalistic attitude. I see way too many people prioritizing the region they come from (Ilocos, Bikol, Visays, Pampanga etc.) way over their country. They quickly identify themselves from their region before their country. The Philippines comes FAR behind in second place. I know that during the Pre-Hispanic era the Philippines wasn't united, but it is now. That's the situation we're in. We now have (and are still developing) an all encompassing Filipino culture. I respect that everybody identifies with their region. I really do. It's really important that we don't lose this attitude. Each region is deep in culture, and each region has woven its threads into the big beautiful fabric that is Philippine culture. That's what I think is important to realize. However, what it kills me to see is how other regions refuse to cooperate and practically hate each other because they see themselves as far better than those from another region. Visayans, Bikolanos, Ilokanos etc. all hating each other and SEGREGATING themselves from one another because of where they're from IN the (same) country. This attitude has gone farther than it needs to have gone. My Filipino heritage stems from Pampanga, and I joined this group on Facebook for Kapampangans and I saw this propsition thread called: The nation of Pampanga? I flipped out. I've also heard of propositions for the nation of Ilocos, and the nation of Mindanao etc. Some people do believe they're better than others, and you can't prevent that. However, a lot of Filipinos take it farther than they need to, and I feel this is another thing barring ourselves from unity. China has different provinces, but as a whole, they are still China. South Korea and Japan have different provinces as well, but all together they compose South Korea and Japan, respectively. I think it's good to respect how beautiful our regional culture is, but to put it much farther than the nation is really our Achilles heel. Not EVERYBODY has this attitude, but a great deal of people do possess this attitude.

I remember reading something from an international forum; A man narrated that whenever a foreigner asked him if he's Filipino, he would say "No, I'm Bisaya".....huh?

I mean I will understand if somebody asked you if your Ilokano or If your Tagalog and say "No, I'm Cebuano"....but to say that you're not Filipino....What's the logic? And then at the end of his story...the foreigner will still ask him, "from what country?", and he will say "from the Philippines!"....toink:nuts:

^^ Haha, right? That's exactly what I mean. It's a shame. Probably people have that mentality right now because the government's crappy and they don't want to associate themselves with it. So, they like to identify with their province which is allegedly better than the country itself. Sigh, if only the government was better we wouldn't have to put up with this crap.

^^i think there is a need to stop this so called creation of Autonomous Regions. It will not help our country...but we can't blame them for doing so...look at our central government and what are its priorities...yung developments are concentrated so much sa NCR and the nearby areas...the rest are being neglected...:)


I know! It's getting ridiculous. The only legit case I can think of is Inner Mongolia. However, their situation makes sense because they are ethnically different than China. They are Mongolians. Therefore, I can understand that they have Inner Mongolia. However, Autonomous Bikol is just not making sense. And yes, I do agree that their actions should be considered treason. I think they should hold their animosity until after the election. They should've instead made a smarter decision and directed their efforts into campaigning for a strong and much more competent president.

^^ If Bicol wants to be autonomous, why go to Daet? They should've went to more populous areas and more urban ones, ie Naga and/or Legazpi. I'd say it's OK to go to Pili or Daraga, but Daet?:sly:

And why would that Jimenez want an Autonomous Bicol Region? Aside from economic activity, any other reason? I'd say that's superficial. Look at ARMM. Did it grow out to be a very progressive and competitive region? If it did grow, though, I'd say negligible.

^^ Yeah, if you ask me it's just a group of idealist people with lofty and slightly misguided goals. Their mind for clean politics is good, but the way how they want to fix it is questionable/bad. Hopefully they won't be able to follow through and succeed with them though.

I remember reading something from an international forum; A man narrated that whenever a foreigner asked him if he's Filipino, he would say "No, I'm Bisaya".....huh?

I mean I will understand if somebody asked you if your Ilokano or If your Tagalog and say "No, I'm Cebuano"....but to say that you're not Filipino....What's the logic? And then at the end of his story...the foreigner will still ask him, "from what country?", and he will say "from the Philippines!"....toink:nuts:

Yeah sometimes I wonder if the Philippines is still the Philippines or just a group of rival countries with very similar characteristics. I wish the hostility and overly inflated pride would end soon though.

That will be the problem if there is a Federal sytem, everybody will want to secede and have their own republic.

Actually Cordillera Autonomous Regions and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao should be the first and last Autonomous regions in the Philippines since they have quite different culture with the mainstream Filipino society.

BUT advocating and allowing Bicol, Eastern Mindanao, and Central Visayas to have their own Autonomous Region is tantamount to treason. The officials and founder of their movement should be arrested for national security reasons.



By the way we can name the upcoming Federation as :

Socialist Islamic Christian Federal Philippines or SIC Federal Philippines

I think CAR is not an autonomous region.

^^ It is indeed not. It's an administrative region. I just don't know how it differentiates from an autonomous one. Anyone?

^^do you think it's fair to ask for a sacrifice knowing that there is no clear outcome given the current crop of political leaders?...is seeking a better life tantamount to being unpatriotic?...

... we need to elect a Lee Kuan yew...

IMO, having a Lee Kuan Yew to run the Philippines will not make any difference. I mean, yes he succeeded in making Singapore to where it is rght now, but that doesn't mean he can in the Philippines. These two countries are way too different and you won't find ay similarities whatsoever. Except maybe they are both in SEA.....

And based on the current state of mentality of the Flipinos, we will need to elect Lee KY x 100......:lol::lol::lol:

^^ If Bicol wants to be autonomous, why go to Daet? They should've went to more populous areas and more urban ones, ie Naga and/or Legazpi. I'd say it's OK to go to Pili or Daraga, but Daet?:sly:

And why would that Jimenez want an Autonomous Bicol Region? Aside from economic activity, any other reason? I'd say that's superficial. Look at ARMM. Did it grow out to be a very progressive and competitive region? If it did grow, though, I'd say negligible.

Because Daet has the 1st Rizal Monument in the Philippines where it was held. Rizal is our national hero.

Maybe Jimenez wants to be remembered as a hero if Bicol Autonomy succeeds.:lol::lol::lol:

Because Daet has the 1st Rizal Monument in the Philippines where it was held. Rizal is our national hero.

It is sentimental, yes, but is cheesy. If that Jimenez is indeed serious for Bicol's autonomy, he needs more people to know what he's advocating for. Daet and its immediate vicinity has about 200K people while Metro Naga and Legazpi has a combination of a little less than 1M. Whichever way it is, I won't go for it.

Whichever way it is, I won't go for it.

:lol::lol::lol:

Kung matuloy ang inyong minimithing autonomous region, dapat ang mga Bicolanos na favor sa Bicol Autonomous region ay dapat umalis din sa sa NCR at ibang provinces ng Pilipinas para hindi rin kayo makinabang sa resources ng ibang provinces and regions ng Pilipinas. Dahil that plan for Bicol Autonomous Region is like a knife stabbing the back of other Filipinos from other provinces and regions.

I can understand the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao since from the very beginning they were of different culture and religion which results that they became marginalized in the mainstream Philippine society. But Bicol is not.

The proposal for Bicol autonomous region is tantamount to TREASON.

Before I admired Dante Jimenez for heading the VACC, but now I think he is just another opportunist with very selfish interest.

what's the difference between the administrative and autonomous and with the ordinary regions?

what's the difference between the administrative and autonomous and with the ordinary regions?


Parang mag pinsan sila !!!!!!!! :)


On July 15, 1987, Executive Order No. 220 was issued creating the Cordillera Administrative Region. It is composed of provinces which used to be part of the Old Mountain Province. Republic Act No. 6766 was passed on October 23, 1989. It provided for an Organic Act for the Cordillera Autonomous Region.

It mandates the creation of an autonomous government to be headed by a Regional Governor. It creates a Regional Assembly that will enact laws of regional application and a regional judiciary composed of a supreme court and lower courts.

The act also directs the proposed autonomous government in the Cordillera to exercise governmental functions, including the raising of taxes, but excluding defense, foreign affairs and monetary functions. However, the Constitution requires that the act has to be ratified by the people in a plebiscite. It was originally scheduled on December 27 of the same year but was reset to January 30 the following by virtue of the Commission on Elections. During the said plebiscite, it was only Ifugao which voted favorably.

Republic Act No. 8438 dated December 22, 1997 created the Cordillera Autonomous Region.

In January 1998, a group of lawyers challenged the constitutionality of the act. A plebiscite held on March 9 of the same year was held and invalidated the act. The region was created but reduced to a regular administrative region.

http://www.chanrobles.com/legal3car.html

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Mindanao Republic ( the Christian-dominated East Mindanao)


Please read these comment of a Bicolano columnist about the proposed Mindanao Republic.


By Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:50:00 01/14/2008

That was quite a letter from Gerald Misa last Saturday in the Letters section. I’ve heard the concept of an independent Mindanao or Mindanao Republic before but never put forward this aggressively.

Misa says Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. should have gone beyond merely complaining about the movie, “Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo” making fun of Visayans, he should have thundered forth against the general predilection of Tagalogs to taunt, mock and show prejudice against Visayans.

“Having been born in Marawi City and raised up, studied, and finished my education in Cebuano-speaking, predominantly Christian Iligan City, I have never considered myself a ‘Filipino.’ I am known as a ‘Filipino’ only because of an imposed citizenship, but by heart and by choice I am a proud Mindanaoan who longs to have a separate republic for my fellow Cebuano or Bisaya-speaking Mindanaoans, who would be better off governing themselves than the subject of the imperialist North.”

I leave the reader to see the examples he cites of the denigration by Tagalogs of Visayans. The last though is too rich to pass. He accuses Tagalogs of being hypocrites or “plastic” in applauding Manny Pacquiao every time he wins while laughing at him “because of his Bisaya accent.”

I personally am not unsympathetic to the plight of the provinces relative to the capital, and I join Pimentel and others who are campaigning to decentralize power by federalism or otherwise. Though not by Cha-cha, and certainly not before 2010, federalism being the last thing it will accomplish. I am not unsympathetic to the plight of the provinces relative to the capital, but I don’t know that that is the product of Tagalogs discriminating against Visayans or of Manila wielding imperial rule over the countryside.

To begin with, I don’t know that the language discrimination is there at all, or if so if it is the vicious variety. Let me hasten to say that I am myself not a Tagalog, I am a Bicolano, notwithstanding that I was born in Manila and have lived in Manila for most of my life. My cradle language is Bicol, and I continue to speak it fluently. I speak Tagalog just as well. I can understand Waray and a bit of Cebuano. Having said that, let me say also that I’ve heard more jokes about Visayans talking in English than about Visayans talking in Tagalog. You hear the same jokes just as well about Ilocanos talking in English, as well indeed as of Tagalogs doing so, as in “Pipol op da Pilipins.”

It’s true that sitcoms try to elicit laughter with characters talking with an exaggerated Visayan accent, but a great deal of it is more playful than denigrating. You hear the same thing elsewhere, Londoners poking fun at Cockney or northern accents (which are as thick as they come) and New Yorkers and Californians poking fun at Midwestern ones. Very little of it is mean-spirited. A lot of Visayan has already crept into Tagalog, courtesy of migration (“ambot” is universally understood) and I do know some people who cultivate a Visayan accent to sound chic without intending to patronize.

Beyond language, frankly I don’t know what “Manila imperialism” means. If that means “Tagalog imperialism,” then I don’t see what’s there to support it. It’s easily refuted by one of the first things you ask someone you meet in Metro Manila: “Taga saang probinsya kayo?” [“What province are you from?”] The assumption being that the fellow’s family at least, if not he himself, came from somewhere other than in Manila. Which is the case of most Metro Manila residents: The original Tagalogs are the minority, not the majority. And very probably a tiny majority at that today. I noted that Misa himself puts his address as Sampaloc, Manila.

The only Tagalog Filipino president since Independence was Joseph Estrada. Manuel Roxas was from Capiz, Elpidio Quirino was from Ilocos, Ramon Magsaysay from Zambales, Carlos Garcia from Bohol, Diosdado Macapagal from Pampanga, Ferdinand Marcos from Ilocos, Corazon Aquino from Tarlac, Fidel Ramos from Pangasinan, and Gloria Macapagla-Arroyo is from Pampanga. Of course, many of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s “kababayan” [province-mates] say she’s not really Kapampangan but Tagalog, and many more of her kababayans say she’s not really the president. Estrada, the lone Tagalog from San Juan, in Metro Manila, never even finished his term.

Most of the senators and congressmen are not Tagalogs. Certainly, the most important committees are not in the hands of Tagalogs. You do find a “Batangas Mafia” headed by Eduardo Ermita in the Cabinet, but they are also the minority. So what does “Manila imperialism” really mean? Surely it can’t mean the imperialism of the Tagalogs?

The notion of an independent Bisaya-speaking Mindanao Republic is an exercise in self-parody. If the problem is that Tagalog-speaking Manila is tyrannizing the Bisaya-speaking peoples of Mindanao, then the Bisaya-speaking Mindanao Republic will be tyrannizing the non-Bisaya-speaking peoples of Mindanao as well. Why shouldn’t they secede from that republic and form their own fiefdoms, too?

In the end, well, all this just brings us back to colonial times when the colonizing power found it the easiest thing to rule this country by encouraging its inhabitants to divide themselves with their petty feuds. I do not particularly care that Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio were Tagalogs, the first coming from Calamba, Laguna, and the second from Tondo, Manila. What they did they did not just do for the Tagalogs but for all the inhabitants of their country. They were the ones who gave meaning to the word, “Filipino,” an identity I personally am proud to carry.
I am a Filipino first and a Bicolano second. Heaven forbid a Bicol Republic ever gets to be proposed. It can only have Luis Villafuerte as president and Edcel Lagman as vice president.


http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20080114-112346/Mindanao-Republic


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Please read these :

Friday, July 15, 2005
Cebu will be capital of Visayas Republic
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez

CEBU CITY -- Governors from the Visayas are out to prove that they are serious in their proposal to secede and create their own republic if President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is removed through extra-legal means.

They began their work Thursday by creating two teams to assess the country's situation and to study the planned Visayas Republic.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said Cebu is being eyed to be the capital of the proposed state, but she refused to answer whether she is also considered to head the republic.

The Visayas leaders, who reiterated yesterday their statement of support for President Arroyo, also refused to say if they will make Arroyo the president of the proposed republic.

"I would not want to second guess the President," Garcia told reporters.

"We are just trying to send a message that we are not fence-sitting and we won't let events overtake us. We are proactive and we are closely watching," she said.

After a close-door meeting that lasted over two hours, the 16 governors, vice governors, provincial board members and mayors flashed a "V" sign to media members shouting "Visayas Republic" as they stood against a streamer that read "Manila is not the Philippines."

Visayas can survive on its own but the Constitution must be scrapped before a Visayas Republic can be made, said Provincial Board Member Antonio Almirante, a lawyer who also heads the committee on laws.

He explained that there is a provision in the Constitution that the Philippines is one country. That means making a Visayas Republic can be unconstitutional.

The Gloria Step Down Movement, in a press conference, said the plan is "seditious and a form of blackmail."

Lawyer Kit Enriquez described the plan as a "hypocritical action of traditional politicians."

"This move only shows that these people do not love the country, because if they do, they will not exchange the country's integrity for a President who is not capable of running the country," Bayan Central Visayas chairman Paul Rodriguez said.

A technical working group, headed by Central Visayas Regional Development Council chairman and Oriental Negros Governor George Arnaiz, is set to start next week a study of the different forms of government suited for the Visayas regions and to look into the legal, economic and other possible problems that might arise with the separation of the Visayas from the rest of the country.

Former Cebu governor Pablo Garcia, who is a constitutionalist, League of Cities of the Philippines president and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, Siquijor Governor Orlando Fua and Biliran Mayor Rogelio Espina will compose the team, which might consider making Cebu as the Visayas Republic's seat of power.

In her welcome address during the gathering at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel past 10 a.m. Thursday, Governor Garcia said they have come together to make a collective stand and to not let the few in Metro Manila, referring to anti-Arroyo groups that converged in a rally in Makati last Thursday, dictate the future of the country.

Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado Thursday said the first technical working group will study the proposed republic and its viability with the region's economy and available infrastructure.

A second group will organize the scheduled Visayas leaders and businessmen socio-economic and political summit scheduled on Aug. 11. to "adopt and implement a comprehensive and integrated development plan to uplift the life of the people in the Visayas region."

The group for the summit will be headed by Governor Garcia, with the chairpersons of the Regional Development Councils of Regions 6, 7 and 8 as co-organizers. They are Antique Governor Salvacion Perez, Oriental Negros' Arnaiz and Governor Rosette Lerias of Southern Leyte.

During the summit, which will include officials of LGUs, business and religious leaders and sectoral representatives, the organizers will get a consensus of the stand of the Visayans on the federal system and the proposed changes in the constitution.

Professor Jose Abueva, an advocate of federalism, will be invited as speaker.

Arnaiz, for his part, said he is for a parliamentary and federal form of government for the Visayas since he believes it will "give each province authority to do what's good for it."

Starting next week, his team will thresh out and find the necessary framework of government and the constitution of the proposed Visayas Republic.

They are also authorized to hire the services of lawyers, who are good in constitutional law, for a fee or pro-bono, as well as financial advisers to study the region's economic situation. (With MBG & JGA of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)


(July 15, 2005 issue)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2005/07/15/cebu.will.be.capital.of.visayas.republic.html

It is sentimental, yes, but is cheesy. If that Jimenez is indeed serious for Bicol's autonomy, he needs more people to know what he's advocating for. Daet and its immediate vicinity has about 200K people while Metro Naga and Legazpi has a combination of a little less than 1M. Whichever way it is, I won't go for it.

^^buti naman di ka agree...

IMO, having a Lee Kuan Yew to run the Philippines will not make any difference. I mean, yes he succeeded in making Singapore to where it is rght now, but that doesn't mean he can in the Philippines. These two countries are way too different and you won't find ay similarities whatsoever. Except maybe they are both in SEA.....

And based on the current state of mentality of the Flipinos, we will need to elect Lee KY x 100......:lol::lol::lol:

^^it's a good start..:D:D:D

Please read these :

Friday, July 15, 2005
Cebu will be capital of Visayas Republic
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez

CEBU CITY -- Governors from the Visayas are out to prove that they are serious in their proposal to secede and create their own republic if President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is removed through extra-legal means.

They began their work Thursday by creating two teams to assess the country's situation and to study the planned Visayas Republic.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said Cebu is being eyed to be the capital of the proposed state, but she refused to answer whether she is also considered to head the republic.

The Visayas leaders, who reiterated yesterday their statement of support for President Arroyo, also refused to say if they will make Arroyo the president of the proposed republic.

"I would not want to second guess the President," Garcia told reporters.

"We are just trying to send a message that we are not fence-sitting and we won't let events overtake us. We are proactive and we are closely watching," she said.

After a close-door meeting that lasted over two hours, the 16 governors, vice governors, provincial board members and mayors flashed a "V" sign to media members shouting "Visayas Republic" as they stood against a streamer that read "Manila is not the Philippines."

Visayas can survive on its own but the Constitution must be scrapped before a Visayas Republic can be made, said Provincial Board Member Antonio Almirante, a lawyer who also heads the committee on laws.

He explained that there is a provision in the Constitution that the Philippines is one country. That means making a Visayas Republic can be unconstitutional.

The Gloria Step Down Movement, in a press conference, said the plan is "seditious and a form of blackmail."

Lawyer Kit Enriquez described the plan as a "hypocritical action of traditional politicians."

"This move only shows that these people do not love the country, because if they do, they will not exchange the country's integrity for a President who is not capable of running the country," Bayan Central Visayas chairman Paul Rodriguez said.

A technical working group, headed by Central Visayas Regional Development Council chairman and Oriental Negros Governor George Arnaiz, is set to start next week a study of the different forms of government suited for the Visayas regions and to look into the legal, economic and other possible problems that might arise with the separation of the Visayas from the rest of the country.

Former Cebu governor Pablo Garcia, who is a constitutionalist, League of Cities of the Philippines president and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, Siquijor Governor Orlando Fua and Biliran Mayor Rogelio Espina will compose the team, which might consider making Cebu as the Visayas Republic's seat of power.

In her welcome address during the gathering at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel past 10 a.m. Thursday, Governor Garcia said they have come together to make a collective stand and to not let the few in Metro Manila, referring to anti-Arroyo groups that converged in a rally in Makati last Thursday, dictate the future of the country.

Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado Thursday said the first technical working group will study the proposed republic and its viability with the region's economy and available infrastructure.

A second group will organize the scheduled Visayas leaders and businessmen socio-economic and political summit scheduled on Aug. 11. to "adopt and implement a comprehensive and integrated development plan to uplift the life of the people in the Visayas region."

The group for the summit will be headed by Governor Garcia, with the chairpersons of the Regional Development Councils of Regions 6, 7 and 8 as co-organizers. They are Antique Governor Salvacion Perez, Oriental Negros' Arnaiz and Governor Rosette Lerias of Southern Leyte.

During the summit, which will include officials of LGUs, business and religious leaders and sectoral representatives, the organizers will get a consensus of the stand of the Visayans on the federal system and the proposed changes in the constitution.

Professor Jose Abueva, an advocate of federalism, will be invited as speaker.

Arnaiz, for his part, said he is for a parliamentary and federal form of government for the Visayas since he believes it will "give each province authority to do what's good for it."

Starting next week, his team will thresh out and find the necessary framework of government and the constitution of the proposed Visayas Republic.

They are also authorized to hire the services of lawyers, who are good in constitutional law, for a fee or pro-bono, as well as financial advisers to study the region's economic situation. (With MBG & JGA of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)


(July 15, 2005 issue)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2005/07/15/cebu.will.be.capital.of.visayas.republic.html

^^matagal tagal na rin ang One Visayas...

How did the Philippines go from a larger per capita GDP than Korea to becoming the “sick man of Asia?”
December 28, 2009
Why did Korea became rich, leaving behind other countries in si-milar or better condition in the 1960s, such as the Philippines? What explains the gap in economic and social performance between these two countries in East Asia? What are the implications to economic development models?

These questions sound simple, even tedious and useless. Yet these issues are often topics for dinner conversation, an appetizer in confidence building between Koreans and Filipinos who want to be serious friends, business partners or even spouses.

Aside from economic indicators such as income, trade, investment, productivity or employment, social and cultural factors should be important explanations. Variations in work ethic, values such as pride in one’s nation and culture, and even climate and geography are likewise significant. Differences in history and politics should not be ignored as well.

Raw discussions of the gap between Korea and the Philippines often reveal one’s prejudices and ignorance. Korea and the Philippines have had 60 years of diplomatic relations, since 1949. Serious scholars need to explain the gaps between Korea and the Philippines, to promote better relations in business, economics and culture.

The Philippines, named after a Spanish king no one remembers for doing anything useful, has 7,100 islands with numerous ethno-linguistic groups. In contrast, South Korea is a peninsula, with Korean as a common language acting as a strong unifying force. The Philippines attracted three foreign colonizers: Spain for 330 years, the United States for 45 years and Japan for three years. Koreans are most bitter at Japan’s colonization from 1910 to 1945. Korea’s strong national unity is a legacy of the Joseon Dynasty rulers, while Filipinos had fragmented, ethnic-led, and failed rebellions against colonizers.

Harmonious relations emphasized by Confucianism and Buddhism make up the religious culture of Korea. The virtues of cannibalism, suffering, poverty, and forgiveness of sins in Spanish Catholicism dominate the Philippines. Korea has favorable weather and few natural disasters, while the Philippines is vulnerable to numerous devastating typhoons and volcanic eruptions all year round.

In the late 1950s, the Philippines had average per capita income of about $1,100, while Korea had $900 per capita. The war with the North devastated Korea’s economy. After the Korean War, international assistance, mostly from the U.S., and industrialization propelled South Korea’s economy. South Korea’s per capita gross domestic product grew from $1,226 in 1960 to $1,745 in 1980, an increase of 42 percent. Korea’s GDP per capita then jumped to $11,347 in 2000 - a giant 550 percent leap! Korea’s GDP per capita is estimated at $16,450 in 2009. South Korea’s transformation into a developed country during this short time period is known popularly as the “miracle on the Han River.”

In contrast, the Philippine economy has experienced repeated boom-and-bust cycles in the five decades since the nation became independent from the United States in 1946. Philippine per capita GDP was $672 in 1980, growing to just $718 in 1990 (7 percent growth), $987 in 2000 (37 percent growth), and $1,720 in 2009 (74 percent growth). In the 1950s and early 1960s most statistics show that the Philippine economy ranked as the second-most-progressive in Asia, next to that of Japan. However, the U.S. continued to wield power and influence through compliant political and economic elites ?? the “comprador bourgeoisie” - parasites benefiting from American trade and business. Attempts at agrarian reform failed as big landlords continued their feudal practices in agriculture, limiting domestic market development and capital accumulation.

In Korea, agrarian reform carried out in the wake of the Korean War supported local capital accumulation. Land redistribution was accomplished swiftly after the war. Land ownership gave farmers incentives to increase productivity, incomes and savings which sustained capital accumulation and domestic markets.

After 1965, when Ferdinand Marcos became president, the Philippines experienced economic problems and social unrest. Corruption and cronyism - social plagues also known as “bureaucrat capitalism” - worsened, as friends or relatives of the elite were appointed to well-paid posts even without merit or qualifications.

In 1972, with America’s blessings, Marcos declared a dictatorship under martial law to stifle unrest and achieve a “new society.” Democratic institutions disappeared, as huge foreign debts and peso devaluations brought down the economy. The Philippines became the “sick man of Asia.”

The power of the Philippine landlords, however, continued, and their parasitic hold over economic and social policies preventing capital accumulation and efficient, competitive markets from taking root. Economic policies such as industrial and anti-poverty programs failed from one landlord-dominated presidency to another: Aquino in 1986 to the current Arroyo administration.

After the Korean War, with U.S. support, the military, as the most organized social unit, became the leading force in Korea’s society and economy. After the coup d’etat by General Park Chung Hee in 1961, the military government intervened systematically and comprehensively in many areas of economic life. Yet, after his assassination by his intelligence chief, Park died relatively poor, with no evidence of illegal wealth. Today, the South Korean economy is dominated by large business groups known as jaebeol - family-owned business conglomerates. These include companies such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Daewoo, Kia and SK. The jaebeol are government-supported multinationals.

Most important, there is a strong national passion throughout Korean society to get even with Japan and catch up with the West through technological innovation. In contrast, people in the many isolated Philippine islands have still to build a strong nation, overcome social divisions and structures and adopt continuous innovation and hard work as patriotic values for growth and development.


*The writer is a professor of business at Hanyang U. & a member of the PhilRPG.

by Maragtas S.V. Amante (http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2914491)

I wish the Philippines would just hurry and unite and stop with all of this divided nonsense. It sounds easier said than done though, right? But sometimes I feel like people don't realize this. If they would consider their country first they wouldn't need to come up with lofty ideas like secession. How does the phrase go? "United we stated, divided we fall." Exactly. If we can hurry and unite, we'll finally be able to catch up with our ultra competitive Northern neighbors like Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. This secession and province before country crap is totally taking a huge chunk out of our potential to succeed.

I liked this quote (this doesn't just go for Bicol though, but for any province with this idea):

.
I am a Filipino first and a Bicolano second. Heaven forbid a Bicol Republic ever gets to be proposed.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20080114-112346/Mindanao-Republic


.

How did the Philippines go from a larger per capita GDP than Korea to becoming the “sick man of Asia?”
December 28, 2009
Why did Korea became rich, leaving behind other countries in si-milar or better condition in the 1960s, such as the Philippines? What explains the gap in economic and social performance between these two countries in East Asia? What are the implications to economic development models?

These questions sound simple, even tedious and useless. Yet these issues are often topics for dinner conversation, an appetizer in confidence building between Koreans and Filipinos who want to be serious friends, business partners or even spouses.

Aside from economic indicators such as income, trade, investment, productivity or employment, social and cultural factors should be important explanations. Variations in work ethic, values such as pride in one’s nation and culture, and even climate and geography are likewise significant. Differences in history and politics should not be ignored as well.

Raw discussions of the gap between Korea and the Philippines often reveal one’s prejudices and ignorance. Korea and the Philippines have had 60 years of diplomatic relations, since 1949. Serious scholars need to explain the gaps between Korea and the Philippines, to promote better relations in business, economics and culture.

The Philippines, named after a Spanish king no one remembers for doing anything useful, has 7,100 islands with numerous ethno-linguistic groups. In contrast, South Korea is a peninsula, with Korean as a common language acting as a strong unifying force. The Philippines attracted three foreign colonizers: Spain for 330 years, the United States for 45 years and Japan for three years. Koreans are most bitter at Japan’s colonization from 1910 to 1945. Korea’s strong national unity is a legacy of the Joseon Dynasty rulers, while Filipinos had fragmented, ethnic-led, and failed rebellions against colonizers.

Harmonious relations emphasized by Confucianism and Buddhism make up the religious culture of Korea. The virtues of cannibalism, suffering, poverty, and forgiveness of sins in Spanish Catholicism dominate the Philippines. Korea has favorable weather and few natural disasters, while the Philippines is vulnerable to numerous devastating typhoons and volcanic eruptions all year round.

In the late 1950s, the Philippines had average per capita income of about $1,100, while Korea had $900 per capita. The war with the North devastated Korea’s economy. After the Korean War, international assistance, mostly from the U.S., and industrialization propelled South Korea’s economy. South Korea’s per capita gross domestic product grew from $1,226 in 1960 to $1,745 in 1980, an increase of 42 percent. Korea’s GDP per capita then jumped to $11,347 in 2000 - a giant 550 percent leap! Korea’s GDP per capita is estimated at $16,450 in 2009. South Korea’s transformation into a developed country during this short time period is known popularly as the “miracle on the Han River.”

In contrast, the Philippine economy has experienced repeated boom-and-bust cycles in the five decades since the nation became independent from the United States in 1946. Philippine per capita GDP was $672 in 1980, growing to just $718 in 1990 (7 percent growth), $987 in 2000 (37 percent growth), and $1,720 in 2009 (74 percent growth). In the 1950s and early 1960s most statistics show that the Philippine economy ranked as the second-most-progressive in Asia, next to that of Japan. However, the U.S. continued to wield power and influence through compliant political and economic elites ?? the “comprador bourgeoisie” - parasites benefiting from American trade and business. Attempts at agrarian reform failed as big landlords continued their feudal practices in agriculture, limiting domestic market development and capital accumulation.

In Korea, agrarian reform carried out in the wake of the Korean War supported local capital accumulation. Land redistribution was accomplished swiftly after the war. Land ownership gave farmers incentives to increase productivity, incomes and savings which sustained capital accumulation and domestic markets.

After 1965, when Ferdinand Marcos became president, the Philippines experienced economic problems and social unrest. Corruption and cronyism - social plagues also known as “bureaucrat capitalism” - worsened, as friends or relatives of the elite were appointed to well-paid posts even without merit or qualifications.

In 1972, with America’s blessings, Marcos declared a dictatorship under martial law to stifle unrest and achieve a “new society.” Democratic institutions disappeared, as huge foreign debts and peso devaluations brought down the economy. The Philippines became the “sick man of Asia.”

The power of the Philippine landlords, however, continued, and their parasitic hold over economic and social policies preventing capital accumulation and efficient, competitive markets from taking root. Economic policies such as industrial and anti-poverty programs failed from one landlord-dominated presidency to another: Aquino in 1986 to the current Arroyo administration.

After the Korean War, with U.S. support, the military, as the most organized social unit, became the leading force in Korea’s society and economy. After the coup d’etat by General Park Chung Hee in 1961, the military government intervened systematically and comprehensively in many areas of economic life. Yet, after his assassination by his intelligence chief, Park died relatively poor, with no evidence of illegal wealth. Today, the South Korean economy is dominated by large business groups known as jaebeol - family-owned business conglomerates. These include companies such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Daewoo, Kia and SK. The jaebeol are government-supported multinationals.

Most important, there is a strong national passion throughout Korean society to get even with Japan and catch up with the West through technological innovation. In contrast, people in the many isolated Philippine islands have still to build a strong nation, overcome social divisions and structures and adopt continuous innovation and hard work as patriotic values for growth and development.


*The writer is a professor of business at Hanyang U. & a member of the PhilRPG.

by Maragtas S.V. Amante (http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2914491)

Nice article very true.

Anytime, I will join the cause of anyone who will maintain the territorial integrity of this republic and I will help in ANY manner to destroy and wipe up these traitors.

Because I want the Philippines as it is.

How come even Im a Caviteno, I have no problem and no inferiority or superiority issues with my friends from Samar, Leyte, batanes, Guimaras, Iloilo, Mindoro, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Zambaoanga Sibugay, Surigao?

We dont see each other different, is just that we are only separated by GEOGRAPHY and perhaps some cultural traits.

But we all are Pinoys and we are coming from one race.

Ang mga bwisit sa buhay ng mga Pinoy throughout our hisotry are the ambitious and self centered a-holes who think they are the messiah of this country.

Gusto nilang maghari at ilagay ang pangalan sa pedestal for political and socio-economic reasons...

Walang pinagkaiba sa mga babaylan nuon. When the Spaniards came here, they revolted not for a national cause or liberty but to restore their privileges they lost when the new masters came here. kaya nung binusalan ng lupa- and created a new class from this naitves called cacique class, tumigil sila at parang mga attack dogs na ng mga kastila.

Ganun din ngayon. They want to dismember this republic in order for them to become new Kings and their people as subjects. Ngayon pa nga lang, republika tayo kung mag-aasta mga Ampatuans, Singsons, Dy, Angara to name a few na pag-aari nila porbinsya at tao dun. Ayokong makita yun.

If this lunatics will keep on insisting on carving new territories within the country, I will pray to GOD and let Magdalo or CPP win and surprise ERAP (he is the only one who advocates for strong unitary indivisible Philippines) and make this country one and divisible.

...and this traitors, lunatics and secessionist should be hunted like dogs.

Di pa nga nakukuha ang Sabah at kalayaan, hiwalay kaagad. makitid din mga utak ng mga tarandadong mga secessionist na yan.

^^ correct! Or if not, you can at least try to help them direct their focus to changing the national government. Use them at least. With their strong efforts of trying to create a corrupt free government, they could do a lot of work in helping the new administration. The Philippines would be a lot stronger if it were whole.

Nice article very true.
Yeah that article is exactly what I was talking about!!!!!!

we are still on our way....mga emotionally immature talaga mga pinoy...karamihan mga alagain...:lol:

^^that's because napabayaan nang central gov't ang mga lugar na yan...Cebu became Ceboom thru the effort and perseverance of the Cebuanos without relying to much on the nat'l gov't , knowing that they will get little or no support at all...it's a lesson for the nat'l govt...

^^ correct! Or if not, you can at least try to help them direct their focus to changing the national government. Use them at least. With their strong efforts of trying to create a corrupt free government, they could do a lot of work in helping the new administration. The Philippines would be a lot stronger if it were whole.


Yeah that article is exactly what I was talking about!!!!!!

Agree.

And when we finally become whole (and no secessionist stupid move thing), thats a sign of maturity for the Philippines and Filipinos.

Mature countries are whole and indivisible, just like what happened to Germanic tribes, Gauls, Italian tribes, American colonial (13) states, Canada etc.

^^Canada may problema pa rin sa Quebec...though nag mellow muna

^^even in the US, there are times some people in Hawaii are trying to revive its lost kingdom....

hi jpdm. nosebleed naman ako sa mga post mo, anyway, to answer the TS, it's the corruption again. ha ha ha, di kayang e-ilaborate......pansin ko lang, yung tinutulungan ng DTI na mga SME's, hindi talaga siya sumasagot sa current NEEDS ng ating society ngayon. Yung mga nabasa kong mga articles from them, oo nga pang-export, pero puro naman mga house decors, dried mangoes and other fruits, sana ang pagtuunan ng pansin, yung business na ipapropagate eh yung mga products na iniimport natin like yung sa livestock at rice, dapat yun ang pagtuonan. sana ang ibibisnis na most of the SME's ay yung kelangang SUPPLY ng most of the pinoys kasi nga ang demand ay sobrang laki.

Tama ka bro dito. Focus should be on things that we need and not those CHristmas decors na madaling bitawan ng merkado.

Sa economics tawag sa mga xmas decors, dried mangoes as "elastic goods...

Dapat forcus, at tama ka sa mga basic goods, mga necessities. At pagtuunan muna ang local market, replace ang imports at bago mag-export.

I think the ASEAN charter should have a uniform monetary system like the EU.

^^Now is not the time...the economic disparity between the member countries is still too great for a single monetary system to be practical.

^^Now is not the time...the economic disparity between the member countries is still too great for a single monetary system to be practical. You are correct. You share the same view with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. Furthermore, he adds the huge cultural disparity between member states to the equation. It'll take much longer for a monetary union.

i think they should invest first on key infrastructures that would link the ASEAN geographically as one like building bridges or tunnels much more if we have a railway link so that people can understand the culture of each member nation if we can easily go to our neighbors and share it with them

You are correct. You share the same view with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. Furthermore, he adds the huge cultural disparity between member states to the equation. It'll take much longer for a monetary union.

Singapore is the only developed country in the ASEAN followed by Malaysia and Thailand. The Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia to follow. I believe that Vietnam is performing a good economic activity for the past years, and don't be surprise if Vietnam will surpass the Philippines in terms of economic performance.

I have to agree with the cultural disparity. Among the ASEAN members, the Philippines is the only state who do not posses an Asian diaspora and culture. Most or all of the members of the ASEAN have this very eastern culture and religion. We're the only christian/catholic country (East Timor also) in the ASEAN and Asia as well.

^^I think ASEAN should start by doing programs that would allow each memeber country's peoples to be more familiar with the neigbhors culture. There used to be a program on ABC5 I believe it was. It was a childrens show and it shows features about cultures of the other ASEAN member countries. Face it, most Filipinos are ignorant about our closest neigbhor, Malaysia. And most Malaysians are the same with us. Understanding each other's culture I think is a good a step if there will ever want some sort of cultural integration in this region.

Another thing that ASEAN should do is to promote an exchanges student program...Maybe there is already something like this that Ive never heard about but an exchange student program I think is a good step in helping the younger generation learn more about the neigbhors.